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In My Friendship with the King: Alan Titchmarsh reveals he dined with Charles the night before the Queen died and says ‘we understand each other’ after more than 40 years of bonding
- Titchmarsh, 73, has a lasting 40-year friendship with the monarch
- Now that King Charles has succeeded to the throne, he understands he will be ‘very busy’
- Defending the King’s Incident: “You’d get a bit of a noose… wouldn’t you?”
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Alan Titchmarsh revealed he has “no assumptions” that his friendship with King Charles will continue now that he takes the throne.
When he revealed that he had dinner with the king the night before his mother the queen passed away, he admitted the new monarch will be “very busy.”
Titchmarsh, 73, is in a long-term relationship with the monarch and the pair have been friends for 40 years now.
In an interview with the Times, the beloved announcer and gardener candidly described his dinner with the King and then Prince Charles, the night before the Queen died.
Alan Titchmarsh revealed he has ‘no assumptions’ that his friendship with King Charles will continue now that he has succeeded to the throne
He said, “There was a glass of fizz and supper, and the prince and I chatted.”
‘After that there was coffee and music in the tapestry room, then we said good night. The next day his mother died, he became king and his feet haven’t touched the ground since.’
Titchmarsh added that he isn’t aware of how much has changed now, but hopes their “feelings” for each other will continue.
He said, ‘I don’t expect our friendship to last – he’s king now, he’ll be very busy.
“I believe our feelings for each other will continue. We understand each other.
Titchmarsh, 73, is in a long-term relationship with the monarch and the pair have been friends for 40 years now
Titchmarsh added that he is not aware of how much has changed now, but hopes their ‘feelings’ for each other will continue
“He is a good man who works incredibly hard for the good of our country.”
Referring to the ‘thing with the pen’ – when the king became visibly frustrated by a leaking pen a few days after his reign – Titchmarsh defended his friend, adding his concern that ‘people wouldn’t give him a chance’.
He said, “That thing with the pen—I mean, for God’s sake. Last year he lost his father and just his mother.
“And all of a sudden he has to sign a proclamation and then visit the lands of the kingdom — I mean, you’d be a little confused if your pen leaked, wouldn’t you?”
Referring to the ‘thing with the pen’ – when the king became visibly frustrated by a leaking pen a few days after his reign – Titchmarsh defended his friend, adding his concern that ‘people wouldn’t give him a chance’
Titchmarsh added that while the Queen was generally “all right,” her mistakes, which came when she didn’t make it to the 1966 Aberfan disaster fast enough and when she stayed with the grandchildren in Balmoral after Princess Diana’s death, the age of social media.
“Now people judge every expression. It is inhumane to expect our new king to survive that level of control. He’s going to go crazy,” he said.
Titchmarsh was awarded an MBE in 2000, where the Queen famously said to him – as was mentioned in her funeral broadcast – ‘you give many ladies a lot of pleasure’.