19 years ago, King Charles was caught on a microphone calling the BBC’s Nicholas Witchell “awful,” and saying he couldn’t stand him.
But it seems the pair have since made up, with the King sending the longtime royal correspondent a warm message, wishing him well on Witchell’s retirement from the BBC after nearly 48 years.
The Sun newspaper reports that the King’s video message, described as “generous and warm-hearted”, was played to Witchell at his retirement party last week, and included the monarch joking about the “ups and downs” experienced by the pair over the years.
Back in 2005, Witchell was one of the press pack covering the then Prince of Wales’s ski holiday with his teenage sons William and Harry, ahead of his wedding to Camilla Parker-Bowles.
After the reporter had thrown a question to the royal trio, Charles whispered to his sons, not realising he could still be heard on microphone, his true feelings for Witchell:
“Bloody people. I can’t bear that man.
“I mean he is so awful, he really is.”
Witchell said afterwards he was surprised by the remarks, but it was true the pair didn’t really speak at that time. However, Charles has since taken up the patronage of Witchell’s Normandy Memorial Trust campaign to establish a permanent D-Day memorial.
The King earlier this year shared that he was undergoing cancer treatment so has withdrawn from public engagements. He was seen yesterday going to church at Windsor Castle, and greeting members of the public.