Tom Bower in brutal King Charles' review 'Olympic whinger!'

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Saturday will mark one month since Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II died and King Charles III acceded the throne. The new monarch has led the Royal Family and the nation in mourning his mother — Britain’s longest-serving Sovereign — while embarking on his own reign. A royal author has praised the King for his first month in his new role, insisting that the monarchy is in “very safe hands” under Charles. 

Katie Nicholl, author of ‘The New Royals’, appeared on this week’s episode of Podcast Royal to discuss her new book and the reign of King Charles. She told hosts, Rachel Burchfield and Jessica Robinson, that the monarchy is “in for a really interesting period of time”. 

She said: “The path isn’t necessarily going to be straightforward and easy. There are challenges and obstacles ahead, but from everything we’ve seen of the King, thus far, you get the feeling that we’re in very safe hands and that the monarchy is in very safe hands.”

Ms Nicholl described Charles’ first broadcast to the nation as a “preface to his reign”. The King sat down for a televised speech on Friday, September 9 — one day after his mother’s death at her Balmoral estate in Scotland. He spoke from the room the late Queen often used for her annual Christmas broadcasts, but his tone was sombre and serious as he paid tribute to Her Majesty as both his predecessor and his mother. 

Charles then pledged his life to service, as his mother did famously on her 21st birthday. He also acknowledged that his life would change as he assumes the responsibilities of being monarch, saying: “It will no longer be possible for me to give so much of my time and energies to the charities and issues for which I care so deeply. But I know this important work will go on in the trusted hands of others.” 

As the Prince of Wales, Charles had a tendency to voice his opinions on certain matters, something the Queen has refrained from during her historic 70-year reign. It is a habit that talkRADIO Breakfast Show presenter Julia Hartley-Brewer claimed was “not going to stand him in good stead” as King. 

She told the recent Channel 4 documentary ‘The Real Windsors’ that Charles “has crossed a line which the Queen, as far as we are aware, has never crossed and that is not going to stand him in good stead.”

She added: “We know too many of his political views. He has stepped into the breach, and once you’ve put your foot on that very, very difficult political battleground, it’s very difficult to take it off again.”

In June, Charles reportedly branded the Government’s policy to send migrants to Rwanda “appalling”, and a source, speaking to the Times and the Daily Mail, claimed he had been heard opposing the policy behind closed doors. 

They alleged: “[Charles] said he was more than disappointed at the policy.

“He said he thinks the government’s whole approach is appalling. It was clear he was not impressed with the government’s direction of travel.”

However, a Clarence House spokesman insisted the Prince of Wales “remains politically neutral”.

They said: “We would not comment on supposed anonymous private conversations with the Prince of Wales, except to restate that he remains politically neutral. Matters of policy are decisions for Government.”

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While some questioned whether Charles would be able to maintain the political neutrality expected of a monarch, Katie Nicholl predicted the royal would change his outspoken ways once he ascends the throne.

She told the Channel 4 documentary: “Let’s be honest, he’s not going to have a complete personality transplant when he is king. He’s not going to be seen to be, I think, outspoken on certain issues, particularly those issues that can be deemed to be political.”

She continued: “Charles has been very clear about that. He spoke to John Bridcut for an interview for his 70th birthday, in which he absolutely acknowledged that he will not be able to say and do some of the things that he’s said and done as Prince of Wales when he’s King.”

Here, the author referred to the prince’s 2018 interview with the BBC, during which he said he would stop speaking out on issues when he became king, saying he was “not that stupid” to continue what some had termed “meddling”.

Charles acknowledged he would not be “able to do the same things I’ve done as heir,” and as monarch would have to operate within “constitutional parameters”.

Ms Nicholl’s recent comments come after Prime Minister Liz Truss reportedly objected to the King attending Cop27 during an audience at Buckingham Palace in September. Neither Downing Street nor the Palace have commented on the matter, and asked if she told the King not to be in Egypt, Ms Truss said: “I am not going to reveal what is discussed in our meetings.”

By convention, all overseas official visits by members of the Royal Family are undertaken in accordance with advice from the Government. It is understood that after the King sought advice from the Government it was agreed that this would not be the right occasion for him to make his first overseas visit as Sovereign.

Charles’ passionate commitment to environmental issues is well-documented and he attended last year’s summit in Glasgow. It is understood that the King still hopes to contribute in some form to the conference. Last year, Charles and his elder son Prince William both spoke at the event while the Queen appeared in a pre-recorded opening address urging the assembled world leaders to take action on climate change.

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