TV presenters Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly shared the “embarrassing” encounter they had with King Charles when having a royal sleepover at Dumfries House.
The pair, who were filming a documentary about the then-prince, recalled how they accidentally bumped into His Majesty in their dressing gowns before being told to “keep the noise down” when they were invited to spend the night before their final interview with Charles.
The TV stars shared the anecdote during an appearance on The Graham Norton show.
Mr McPartlin, 50, said: “We were following [the then-Prince] for a year for a TV show and got on really well with him.
Mr McPartlin bumped into the King in his dressing gown.
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PA/ITV/INSTAGRAM“We were asked if we would like to spend the night at the house ahead of the final interview.
“We were like ‘Hell, yes.’ It was amazing and everything you’d imagine.
“I tried on the robe that was in my room and ran out into the corridor to find Dec, and there was the prince. He said ‘Hello,’ and started talking to me about pruning roses. I was so embarrassed.”
Mr Donnelly then chipped in: “We then had wine in the room and got a bit noisy. We took it a bit far and were asked to be quiet!”
Mr Donnelly shared that the pair were a bit loud after having some wine.
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GETTYMr McPartlin said they “got on really well” with the King during the filming.
Asked about their new podcast, Hanging Out with Ant & Dec, Mr Donnelly said: “We know each other inside out, and we make each other laugh, so hopefully people will like it.
“Our wives are more nervous than us – they think we might give too much away.”
Mr McPartlin added: “It really is just two mates catching up.”
The pair were promoting their new podcast, Hanging Out with Ant & Dec.
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ITVThe King will be featured in an upcoming Amazon Prime documentary, where he will urge viewers to respect the planet, since “it’s unlikely there is anywhere else” for us to live.
Finding Harmony: A King’s Vision, which arrives on the streaming platform on February 6, features narration by Kate Winslet and explores the monarch’s longstanding commitment to environmental causes.
The film seeks to introduce a fresh generation to the King’s philosophy, centred on achieving balance between people and the natural world.
A two-minute preview captured the King viewing archive footage of himself addressing the World Economic Forum on efforts to “restore harmony between humanity, nature and the environment”, with the monarch laughing as he acknowledged it had been “an uphill struggle”.
The King will be featured in an upcoming Amazon Prime documentary.
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GETTYIn the documentary, Charles articulates his belief that following the principle of harmony is essential “if we’re going to ensure that this planet can support so many”.
He emphasises humanity’s intrinsic connection to the environment, stating: “We are nature ourselves. We are a part of it, not apart from it.”
Contributors to the film recall how the monarch’s forthright positions on environmental matters, spanning topics from urban development to agricultural practices, had “upset a lot of people in authority” over the years.
While some interviewees note that critics have spent half a century attempting to dissuade him from his stance, others maintain “he was there at the beginning, saying the truth, and ultimately the world has seen that he is right”.