King Charles was famously caught on camera branding BBC royal reporter Nicholas Witchell ‘awful’ during a photoshoot in the Swiss Alps with sons Prince William and Prince Harry 19 years ago
King Charles has paid tribute to a BBC correspondent who once irritated him so much that he called him “awful”.
Back in 2005, the now-monarch was on a skiing trip in Klosters, Switzerland with his two sons William and Harry, and the royals had agreed to sit for a photocall. It was during the shoot that Charles was caught on microphone making a unpleasant comment to his sons about one of the journalists who had asked them a question: Nicholas Witchell, the BBC’s seasoned royal correspondent, who’d held the role since 1998.
The journalist asked Charles – who was then Prince of Wales – about how he was feeling about his upcoming wedding to Camilla, to which he replied: “I’m very glad you heard of it anyway,” before giving a smile that seemed halfway between a grin and a grimace.
Charles then muttered under his breath to his sons: “Bloody people. I can’t bear that man. He’s so awful. He really is.” It’s unclear whether the royal had any idea that his comment had been picked up by the microphones in front of him.
Prince William stayed calm and gave a light-hearted answer. “As long as I don’t lose the rings. I have one responsibility and I’m bound to do something wrong,” he joked. Witchell seemed to take the incident in his stride, noting in 2014 that “it was the best thing that happened to me”.
“There has never been an apology, and why should there be? He was probably quite right,” he said. “You know, awful man. You could take the view it was the best thing that happened to me, because it showed that it is our job as BBC journalists to report fairly and accurately, but not to seek approval. We’re not there to be liked.”
But after hearing Witchell is to retire aged 70, the King reportedly sent a personal message to his leaving do. A newspaper said guests heard the King joke of their “ups and downs”. One called the message “warm-hearted and generous”, adding: “It came as a surprise to everyone there, including Nicholas.”
Witchell did not comment.
