For the first time, a remarkable collection of private letters from King Charles to the family of the late, legendary comedian Spike Milligan has been revealed, shedding new light on an enduring and unlikely friendship.
A Friendship Forged in Humour
The correspondence, seen exclusively by this publication, began in 2002 following the death of the anarchic Goon Show star. It was sparked when Spike's son, James Milligan, wrote to the then-Prince of Wales to thank him for a floral tribute sent to his father's funeral.
Charles replied from Birkhall at Balmoral on August 29, 2003, expressing how touched he was. "I was touched that you should have taken the trouble to tell me what your father really thought," he wrote. "We had a highly amusing correspondence over the years, and he always addressed his letters to me in the most original way!"
The future King underlined his fondness, adding: "Along with many others, I miss his particular brand of humour enormously. They don't make people like your father any more - sadly!"
Confiding in a Trusted Ally
The letters, which continued from 2002 until as recently as February of this year, show Charles offering encouragement for James's own creative writing and confiding during times of personal turmoil.
In a particularly revealing note dated January 6, 2004, Charles responded to James after the publication of explosive revelations by former royal butler Paul Burrell in the Daily Mirror. The King wrote: "You have no idea how touched I was by your wonderfully heartening letter the other day."
He then shared a moment of profound introspection, asking: "I don't know, have I gone mad or has the whole world gone mad?" He described facing "perpetual hellishness" but resolved, in the words of Sir Winston Churchill, to "keep 'buggering on'." Charles concluded, "And kind allies like yourself make all the difference," signing off as "Yours most gratefully."
A Shared Legacy of Eccentricity and Environment
The bond between the monarch and the comedian, detailed in the letters and by James, was built on a shared mindset. They collaborated on environmental projects, including a campaign to save the 900-year-old Elfin Oak in Hyde Park. Spike Milligan would visit Kensington Palace and other royal residences, where a young Prince William would ask him to play his famous 'Ying Tong Song' on the piano.
James Milligan, 49, reflected on the unique nature of the friendship: "They were really good friends... He and Charles would discuss the environment and animal cruelty, and he would not have a bad word said against him; he only had time for people with a good heart."
The letters also show Charles's ongoing support for the Milligan family, sending congratulations for the birth and christening of James's son, Robert, in 2005. More recently, the King was "touched" by a coronation poem James wrote and dedicated to him.
This extraordinary correspondence, marked by Charles's distinctive habit of underlining words, paints a vivid picture of a royal figure valuing genuine connection, humour, and loyalty far beyond the palace walls.
