While King Charles is often chauffeured to royal engagements, he occasionally takes the wheel himself, particularly on his days off. According to a former royal butler, the monarch enjoys driving around his private estates, including the Balmoral Estate in Scotland.
Grant Harrold, who served as a butler to King Charles between 2004 and 2011, when he was Prince of Wales, experienced this first-hand. He recalled a "surreal moment" when the King drove him and another butler, with the Duke of Westminster in the front passenger seat, along the estate's bumpy country lanes.
Speaking on behalf of Select Car Leasing, Harrold described the King as "a very good driver" and noted that despite the rough terrain, they engaged in normal conversation. The former butler also confirmed that, although the monarch is not legally required to hold a driving licence, King Charles does have one, having driven for decades before ascending the throne.
