King Charles had a hilarious interaction with a royal fan during an engagement in Grimsby on Thursday, when an excited local broke royal protocol when greeting the monarch.
Royal Fan Accidentally Calls King 'Darling'
Charles met with staff at Grimsby Town Football Club's Blundell Park in north-east Lincolnshire on Thursday, where dozens of people turned out to meet the King with flags, banners and excited cheers despite the pouring rain.
The King greeted several staff members including ticket office manager for the football club, Francine Orr, who revealed she accidentally addressed the King as 'darling' instead of 'Your Majesty' when it was her turn to meet him.
Francine said: 'We were briefed on what we should say and what we shouldn't say, how we should bow and how we should curtsey. I've had it in my brain all morning then he comes up to me… and he shakes my hand and I said "All right darling, oh no, I'm so sorry Your Majesty".'
Charles laughed as he appeared to be left rather pleased with the pet name and told her: 'I like being called darling.' Francine added: 'He was so down to earth. Lovely, lovely man. It was so good he's come to Grimsby to meet everyone at Grimsby Town.'
King Meets Mascot and Community
Later in the day, Charles beamed as he met the Mighty Mariner - the mascot of Grimsby Town Football Club - at their Blundell Park ground where he was presented with a customised team shirt that read 'HM King Charles 3' on the back.
Head coach David Artell said of the visit: 'There are lots of good people here who are trying to put Grimsby on the map, and it's fantastic to see the King coming to see and to recognise the efforts of everyone involved.'
During the King's trip to the region, the monarch met local leaders, organisations, businesses and residents helping to shape the future of the town and create opportunities that benefit the wider community.
When Charles arrived in Grimsby, he was greeted by hundreds of people who braved the rain to catch a glimpse of the monarch. The King told dozens of well-wishers 'I'm so sorry you got so wet', as he thrilled crowds with an impromptu walkabout in the pouring rain.
When he arrived for his visit to a local community hub, Charles chatted to teenagers about boxing, rock climbing, scout badges and cooking as he began a tour of community projects.
The King was greeted with cheers as he arrived at the Horizon Youth Zone, before heading inside to tour the state-of-the-art facility chatting to local school children, cadets from the various armed services and scouts.
Charles' second stop in Grimsby was at The CARE Hub, which is a community care and housing organisation designed to provide support to local people by providing a safe and nurturing environment.
