King Charles spent '70 years as [the Queen’s] understudy' - plenty of time for the King to work towards the type of monarch he wanted to be. Photo / Getty Images
King Charles spent '70 years as [the Queen’s] understudy' - plenty of time for the King to work towards the type of monarch he wanted to be. Photo / Getty Images
He’s innovative, outdoorsy and cares about preserving the natural world. He’s interested in farming practices and championing the use of something New Zealand has in great, fleecy abundance: wool.
In fact, King Charles’ track record of interests and charitable endeavours make him the most Kiwi King we’ve ever seen, says Monarchy New Zealand chair Dr Sean Palmer.
“What he stands for, it resonates with New Zealand’s national character very well,” Palmer tells the Herald ahead of the King’s coronation this weekend.
Spending “70 years as [the Queen’s] understudy” made for plenty of time for the King to work towards the type of monarch he wanted to be - and that’s one that aligns with many things important to New Zealanders, believes Palmer.
“What he invested his effort in really means that we can know him better than we knew Queen Elizabeth when she came to the throne,” Palmer says of the late Queen who was crowned when she was just 25, more than 50 years younger than Charles, now 74.
Palmer says the King, who will be officially crowned on May 6 at his coronation at Westminster Abbey, has spent half a century championing certain causes, some which he was “roundly mocked for” but which now sit well with a vast majority of Kiwis and align with a collective national vision to support sustainability and better environmental outcomes.
King Charles with his son, Prince William, at his Duchy home farm. Photo / Getty Images
“[King Charles] was talking about the importance of protecting and preserving the environment, saving resources, being careful about this sort of stuff back in the ‘60s. And, in fact, he was roundly mocked at the time for having these kooky green ideas.
“You know, people used to say, ‘Oh, Charles. He talks to plants … he’s such a quirky fellow.’ It just turned out that he was four decades ahead of the rest of the world,” says Dr Palmer. “The rest of the world’s environmental consciousness has finally caught up to where he was.”
He also notes the King has expressed a great interest in organic farming and gone to some lengths to try and eradicate a particular pest in the UK, even calling upon a New Zealand fashion brand who found a clever way to make use of our own problem creature.
Earlier this year during Princess Margaret’s trip to New Zealand, it was revealed King Charles had sought out Untouched World - famous for turning possum fur into beautiful garments - to trial making fabric out of grey squirrel fur.
King Charles has long been an advocate for the protection of the red squirrel - and the eradication of its enemy. Photo / Getty Images
According to the Daily Mail, back in 2014 the then Prince of Wales was busy backing the British Government’s plans to cull grey squirrels, which were introduced in Victorian times and have done irrevocable damage to the country’s native red squirrel population and its flora and fauna.
When Princess Anne visited Untouched World, it was learned the company did conduct tests for the King on samples of squirrel fur but it was found to be “too short” to produce garments from.
Of the King’s initiative, Palmer says: “It shows you that he didn’t have to be directed by a minister. He went and gathered the information himself.”
Beyond his efforts to produce product from pest, the King has also spearheaded the promotion of sheep’s wool and is the patron for The Campaign For Wool.
With a focus on encouraging consumers to understand the benefits of wool and grow the industry, Palmer says for New Zealand, “A country with 25 million sheep, that’s kind of a big deal.
“Again, he looked at that in terms of a renewable resource and as a material that isn’t going to pollute the ground.”
Palmer says when it comes to New Zealand as a multicultural nation where a range of religions are followed, he believes King Charles is better equipped than most as our monarch.
King Charles III engages in a hongi, the traditional Maori greeting from a New Zealander who is part of the Ukrainian contingent in training. Photo / Getty Images
“New Zealand is a very multicultural country and quite frankly he and his mother have had more experience dealing with more cultures around the world than probably anyone else you know. The Commonwealth is almost two billion people on every continent, 50-something countries. And they have a very long track record of working with their leaders and their people.
“We’ve seen him have, you know, his interface dialogue where he has tried to bridge some of the divides between Christianity, Islam and Judaism. But has also included other religions ... he doesn’t just put out a Christmas message, as was the norm for 100 years. He also puts out a Ramadan message. And I’ve seen him speak to various Jewish groups around their holidays.”
Palmer describes the King as “very open to the world” and its array of cultures and religions “in the same way that I think New Zealand appreciates.
“He is a man, very much of the 21st century and very much of the New Zealand mindset.”
Keep up with the King’s coronation
For the most up-to-the-minute coverage, follow the NZ Herald for live updates from the coronation, as our Lifestyle and Entertainment Editor Jenni Mortimer reports live from London.
