King Charles officially inaugurated a new coastal walking route bearing his name on Thursday, playfully ribbing a group of cyclists he encountered along the way.
During his visit to East Sussex, the monarch spotted several people on electric bicycles who had paused to catch a glimpse of him. “Have you got the latest bikes?” he enquired. When informed they were e-bikes, he quipped: “Cheating.”
The 77-year-old was in the area to formally open both the King Charles III England Coast Path and the Seven Sisters National Nature Reserve, one of 25 reserves being established to commemorate his Coronation.
The King completed the two kilometre route on foot, dressed in a lounge suit and walking with a stick, taking approximately an hour with stops to unveil two plaques along the way.
King Charles joked that e-bikers were cheating during his walk on the King Charles III England Coast Path
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His presence caught numerous walkers, joggers and dog owners completely off guard. “Is that actually the King?” several astonished members of the public asked as he passed by. “The King? Are you serious?” exclaimed one young man in his twenties.
Sharon Willmoore, 76, had simply been enjoying a stroll with a friend. “Amazing,” she said.
“Not what we were expecting at all, just out for a nice walk and someone said the King was along there.”
One tattooed, shirtless man merely nodded at the monarch while his Yorkshire terrier investigated the royal’s feet.
Beneath clear blue skies, the King engaged in conversation about the landscape. He questioned officials on stile upkeep, catchment area management, nature recovery efforts and the extent of erosion affecting the coastline.
King Charles engaged in in-depth conversations with the staff on the walk
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Despite travelling extensively throughout Britain, the monarch disclosed that this marked his first time viewing the famous chalk cliffs from the shore.
His previous glimpses of Seven Sisters had come exclusively from the water during his naval career.
The King described the conservation initiatives as “marvellous” and praised those involved for their “fantastic” work. At the second plaque unveiling on a blustery clifftop, he joked that the wind might have done the job for him.
Prior to embarking on the walk, the King attended a reception at the Salt Marsh Café organised by the South Downs National Park Authority. He had arrived directly from Windsor Castle following the Nigerian state visit.
Tony Juniper, Natural England’s chairman, told the monarch it was “wonderful you’re here to see it”, noting the project was among the “things closest to your heart”.
King Charles unveiled plaques along the route
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Following the outing, Mr Juniper observed: “We don’t do small talk with His Majesty, not when he’s out looking at nature. He’s so interested in animals, plants, geology.”
The Seven Sisters reserve represents the 13th of 25 National Nature Reserves planned for completion by 2027, marking the project’s halfway milestone.