A journalist who wrote a bestselling biography about King Charles revealed what it was like observing members of the Royal Family behind-the-scenes — and how they still follow strict protocols even when the eyes of the world are not watching.
Catherine Mayer, who has now written a new book, claimed a former girlfriend of Charles accidentally headbutted the former prince — all while sticking to two rules she had to abide by whenever she met him.
She explained that she had been “lucky enough to see royals behind-closed-doors” and that she once imagined that they “kind of kick off protocol along with their shoes” once the cameras go away — but she said this was never the case from her experience.
And speaking on A Right Royal Podcast presented by Hello!, she said: “I talked to one of Charles’s old girlfriends who, that was for the biography I wrote of him, and she told me this really funny story about how they were all in this room waiting for him to come and you know they’re all smoking out windows and you know being young people.
“And as soon as he arrived in the room they all kind of went like that and had to call him sir and then she was supposed to curtsy to him and call him sir whenever she met him even though she was like his girlfriend.
“So she goes to curtsy just as he leans forward to kiss her. He leans forward to kiss her and she gives him a Glasgow kiss.”
She often refers to the Royal Family as “planet Windsor” and her new book is called Divide & Rule, which takes a closer look at the lives of eight royal women, including Meghan Markle, Princess Diana and Princess Catherine.
The journalist, who penned bestseller Charles: The Heart of A King in 2015, then explained her own experiences of observing royal protocols and said she still finds them profound.
She explained: “I went with my husband to the state banquet and we were just… the whole experience of being announced into the room is just such a funny thing, but they all do this.
“I mean, obviously the state banquet is a formal thing, but they do it at other kind of formal receptions. They absolutely do.”
Her latest book, which focuses on the complex and often misunderstood lives of British royal women, is available to buy now.
And speaking to The Telegraph, she revealed one thing that surprised her during her research for it.
She said: “I ended up feeling incredibly sorry for Diana. I understand how she made the mistake of thinking she could find happiness within the institution. I think you basically need your head examined to want to be a part of it…
“The really good thing that Kate and William have done is they’ve tried to give their children some taste of normality.”