Two never-before-seen photographs of King Charles III with his two eldest grandkids, Prince George, 9, and Princess Charlotte, 8, have been released a week ahead of the new British monarch’s coronation. The images, which can be seen HERE, were included in the 74-year-old king’s BBC documentary called Charles R: The Making of a Monarch, which debuted on Sunday, April 3o. The images are several years old and are thought to date back to 2016, per the Daily Mail.
One photo appears to have been taken at an outdoor family function and showed King Charles sitting at a table with Prince George, the eldest child of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Charles, who was then the Prince of Wales, was pointing at something in the distance, and Prince George was obediently looking on with his grandfather. The adorable blonde-haired kid had his tongue out as he clutched onto a clear glass with an orange drink in it.
Charles R: The Making Of A Monarch. 👑
The story of how a prince became a king. This documentary gives an intimate portrait of HM King Charles, told in his own words from across the decades and featuring rare and unseen archive footage.
8pm Sun 30 April | #MadeByBBCStudios pic.twitter.com/XRGuEC1UcS
— BBC Studios (@bbcstudios) April 30, 2023
The other photo featured Charles and Princess Charlotte, who was just a few years old when the sweet memory was taken. She was being held by an unknown adult and looked adorable in a baby blue dress. She gazed at her grandfather as he held something up in front of her.
The sweet snapshots were shown as Prince Charles, the son of the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, said he wants to protect the environment for future generations. “I mind so much about the future, what we’re going to leave to our children and grandchildren. That’s what really gets me going,” he noted.
The intimate photos and considerate motivation are a stark contrast to the father Prince Harry, 38, described Prince Charles to be in the past. During an interview on his and Oprah Winfrey‘s Apple TV+ mental health docuseries, “The Me You Can’t See,” Harry painted a picture of a cold and lonely childhood with an unsympathetic father. “My father used to say to me when I was younger … ‘Well, it was like that for me, so it’s going to be like that for you,’” the former senior royal claimed.
“That doesn’t make sense — just because you suffered, that doesn’t mean that your kids have to suffer, in fact quite the opposite,” he continued. “If you suffered, do everything you can to make sure that whatever negative experiences that you had, you can make it right for your kids. Isn’t this all about breaking the cycle?”
Despite the criticism, Harry is expected to make an appearance at King Charles’ coronation on May 6 when it’s held in London. However, Meghan Markle will remain home in California with their kids, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.