Former Royal Employee Reveals What Happened When He Cursed in Front King Charles and Called Him by the Wrong Title
A former royal employee has revealed what happened when he made a massive mix-up with King Charles and accidentally swore in front of the monarch.
Jack Stooks is a British horticultural expert and was King Charles’ senior gardener at the royal’s Highgrove estate for more than two decades. He played a key role in maintaining and developing the king’s vision for sustainable and organic gardening.
As part of the royal family’s trusted team, Stooks was a key part of daily life and attended King Charles’ wedding to Queen Camilla, as well as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s celebrations. With over 20 years of experience under his belt, Stooks frequently shares his gardening tips and also offers royal commentary on current stories.
Now, Stooks is sharing the very different side of the monarch he witnessed away from the cameras when he had a major mishap in front of the king.
Speaking on behalf of CasinoHawks, Stooks told Showbiz Cheat Sheet, “We had a call about a leak in the irrigation system. The king hates any sort of waste and losing water like this is a big no-no, so the gardeners rushed to fix it. I was in one of the bushes, bent down trying to fix this pipe, and I heard someone walking through the tunnel towards me. I stood up, thinking they needed to speak to me, and came face to face with the king.”
Stooks admitted, “I was a bit thrown, so I said ‘Good evening, Your Highness.’ However, this was just after he had become king, so this was the wrong greeting. As soon as I said it, I realized my mistake and panicked, and in the moment ended up swearing. I apologized and addressed him correctly as ‘Your Majesty.’
“He was completely fine about it. He just told me it was okay and not to worry. He said he was still getting used to the change in title as well. He’s a very kind man, and this is just one example of how understanding he is. I remember thinking that when Charles became king we wouldn’t see him as much. I thought his relaxed approach to life at home would change, but it didn’t. He still spent a lot of time with the gardeners and was very hands-on. That didn’t change even when he took the crown.”
A fun fact about Stooks is that he went on King Charles and Queen Camilla‘s honeymoon with them. The senior aide traveled to Birkhall at Balmoral in Scotland with the royal couple after they tied the knot.
“I actually went on honeymoon with [Charles and Camilla] and planted some of those flowers up at the Balmoral Estate, and the rest were taken back to be planted at Highgrove,” he said, adding, “I was lucky enough to go on their honeymoon, and I got to see them all happy having just been married up at the Balmoral estate. I helped plant plants from St. George’s Chapel.”
