A new documentary has shown King Charles embracing his children after previously being accused of ‘never giving hugs’ in Prince Harry’s memoire.
The BBC production about the Coronation is set to be aired on Boxing Day and shows the Wales family attending a rehearsal at Westminster Abbey.
The King can be seen greeting Prince Louis and Charlotte with double kisses on the cheek, with the Princess curtseying him.
The Prince of Wales then humorously practices the kiss of homage with his father. Many are claiming it is the most affectionate display ever among the three generation of Kings.
Richard Jackson, Bishop of Hereford, told the Telegraph: ‘I think what struck me particularly was how extraordinarily affectionate they are.
His son accused the King of not giving ‘hugs, no kisses, no pats’ in his memoire Spare
The ‘affectionate’ King is shown embracing his children in Boxing Day documentary
A look at King Charles showing signs of affection to his family in the new BBC documentaryP
Prince George, Louis and Princess Charlotte gave great big hugs to their grandfather
‘They’re clearly a very close family, all the generations, and in a sense you felt you’re part of a family occasion as well as a royal occasion and a national occasion.’
But, according to the Duke of Sussex, he said in his memoir: ‘The older generation maintained a nearly zero-tolerance prohibition on all physical contact’.
‘No hugs, no kisses, no pats,’ he wrote in Spare. ‘Now and then, maybe a light touching of cheeks…on special occasions.’
He added: ‘No matter how much you might love someone, you could never cross that chasm between, say, monarch and child. Or Heir and Spare.’
In one paragraph Harry, who is affectionately called ‘Harold’ by his family, describes himself as feeling like he was born to be the ‘spare kidney’ for his elder brother.
Harry also accuses his elder brother of being the aggressor during ‘Megxit’, claiming their relationship had become so strained and damaged that William would only ‘scowl’ at him.
He describes several particularly awkward meetings between himself, Meghan, William and Kate, saying his brother and sister-in-law appeared uncomfortable at being hugged by his future wife.
He also appears to accuse the Princess of Wales of over-reacting by demanding an apology from Meghan after she fell out with Kate over wedding plans.
Prince Charles poses with his sons during the Royal Family’s ski break at Klosters on March 31, 2005, in Switzerland
Prince William is pictured with King Charles during the King’s Coronation rehearsals at Westminster Abbey in London
King Charles at his Coronation rehearsal in Westminster Abbey
Lady Lansdowne, said the fact that the couple had to ‘fight’ to be together has only strengthened their unshakeable ‘bond’
Charles and Camilla are ‘yin and yang’ but make an utterly formidable team, friends and family have said
However, in what are sure to be distressing passages for the King, Harry describes how when he returned to the UK to attend Prince Philip’s funeral in 2021, a clearly distressed Charles wailed at his warring sons not to make his ‘final years a misery’.
Elsewhere in the documentary there is a touching moment Prince William jokes about how fiddly the catch is during the coronation ceremony and groans: ‘On the day it’s not going to go in, is it?’
‘No,’ says the King, giggling; ‘[But] you haven’t got sausage fingers like mine!’
The amusing interaction is one of the highlights of a new documentary charting Charles’s first year as monarch, to be shown on BBC One on Boxing Day.
The documentary also shows footage of the couple out walking the Queen’s Battersea Dogs and Cats Home rescue dog, Beth – a Jack Russell – at Birkhall, their beloved Scottish home.
Camilla is dressed casually in jeans and a jacket with Charles in a tweed jacket and tie.
The programme, which was produced by the Mail’s Robert Hardman, will also feature footage from last year’s Christmas broadcast.
Featuring previously unseen behind-the-scenes footage and exclusive interviews with key officials, family and senior royals, it captures the galloping pace of the last 12 months but also moments of lightness.
During rehearsals for May’s Coronation, at which he swore allegiance to his father, William is shown joking about which of his cheeks to kiss by tickling his father’s face and saying: ‘Your left cheek is better!’
The King and Queen celebrated Christmas Day at Sandringham alongside other members of the Royal Family and attended a church service at St Mary Magdalene Church.
Charles was seen waving to crowds gathered outside the Norfolk Church to wish him and his family a happy Christmas.
King Charles II and Camilla Queen Consort with Prince Harry and Meghan Duchess of Sussex The State Funeral of Her Majesty The Queen
King Charles waved to the crowds as he and Queen Camilla walked to the small chapel
The Princess of Wales held her daughter Princess Charlotte’s hand on the way to the church service
Queen Camilla greeted around 1,000 wellwishers outside the church on Monday
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh joined the rest of the Royal Family at the church service on Monday morning
He was closely followed by the Prince and Princess of Wales, who were joined by their children Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five.
The Princess of Wales wore an elegant blue coat and matching hat as she smiled broadly while walking to church, holding the hand of her daughter Princess Charlotte.
Prince William also held his son’s hand while Prince George dressed in a navy blue suit, walked alongside his sister.
For the second year in succession the disgraced Duke of York walked from Sandringham to church with the family.
His ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York walked behind him and smiled at the press in her first public appearance at Sandringham in years.
Andrew’s daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie were with there husbands, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and Jack Brooksbank respectively.
Notably absent from the Royal Christmas were the Duke of Duchess of Sussex who spent the holidays with their children in LA.
In his Christmas message broadcast at 3pm on Monday, the King paid tribute to Britons who dedicate themselves to ‘service’.
It was recorded in the Centre Room in Buckingham Palace which leads on to the royal residence’s iconic balcony, and also featured a living Christmas tree in the background which will be replanted, complete with natural and sustainable decorations.
Charles, who has previously mentioned the importance of re-wearing clothes, donned the same blue single-breasted suit he wore in his address last year.
His second annual speech gave a nod to the environment, in a departure from the typically apolitical messages delivered by his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
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