King Charles' touching four-word remark in poignant tribute to Lord Prescott

King Charles remembered John Prescott, who died astatine a attraction location connected Wednesday aged 86 pursuing a conflict with Alzheimer's aft serving arsenic the UK's longest-serving lawman premier minister

King Charles described Lord John Prescott arsenic a "unique and indomitable character" successful a poignant tribute to the former lawman premier minister.

During the monarch's lukewarm and idiosyncratic reflection, helium besides noted Lord Prescott's "infectious consciousness of humour" and "decades of nationalist service" successful frontline politics. Lord Prescott died aged 86 astatine a attraction location connected Wednesday pursuing a conflict with Alzheimer's, his household said.

And the King, who himself was the country's longest-serving heir to the throne, highlighted Lord Prescott's relation arsenic the UK's longest-serving lawman premier minister. Expressing his sympathy to the erstwhile politician's family, the King said: "I americium profoundly saddened to larn of the decease of Lord Prescott. I retrieve with large fondness his unsocial and indomitable character, arsenic good arsenic his infectious consciousness of humour.

"My thoughts and top sympathy are with Lord Prescott's wife, household and loved ones astatine specified a hard time, and I americium definite that precise galore radical volition recognise and greatly admit Lord Prescott's decades of nationalist work successful frontline politics, not slightest arsenic the United Kingdom's longest-serving lawman premier minister."

Lord Prescott erstwhile wrote that portion helium was "not a raving loyalist", helium had "a batch of clip for Charles" who helium described arsenic a passionate environmentalist.

He defended the past Prince of Wales's close to "write arsenic galore damn letters arsenic helium likes" successful 2015, saying the royal had "a batch to connection this country".

His comments came aft the Supreme Court upheld a ruling which paved the mode for the work of alleged "black spider" memos penned successful 2004 and 2005 and sent by Charles to 7 authorities departments.

Lord Prescott wrote successful the Sunday Mirror: "Charles has an atrocious batch to connection this country. And if helium wants to service his subjects by helping young radical into work, combating clime alteration and gathering sustainable communities, helium tin constitute arsenic galore damn letters arsenic helium likes."

He besides told however helium received a handwritten enactment from the prince successful 2003 erstwhile Lord Prescott's parent died. In 2005, the prince warned it was incorrect to sound down aged buildings erstwhile they could beryllium restored much economically - remarks that were seen arsenic an onslaught connected John Prescott's plans to demolish up to 400,000 homes successful the Midlands and the North to make abstraction for caller housing.

Charles insisted helium was not criticising Government lodging argumentation erstwhile helium spoke retired against knocking down "historic characterful buildings" erstwhile successful the "longer word it would outgo acold little successful financial, societal and biology presumption to refurbish and person them".

Former PM Sir Tony Blair wrote successful his memoirs however Charles was baffled by John Prescott's wont of balancing a teacup and saucer connected his stomach.

In his 2010 book, A Journey, the past Mr Blair recalled bumping into the prince aft his archetypal gathering with the lawman PM. The prince asked: "Does helium ever bash that happening with you?"

"When he's sitting other you, helium slides down the spot with his legs apart, his crotch pointing a small menacingly, and balances his teacup and saucer connected his tummy. It's precise odd. I've ne'er seen idiosyncratic bash that before. What bash you deliberation it means?"

Mr Blair says helium replied: "I don't deliberation it means anything, really." Charles continued: "Hmm. You don't deliberation it's a benignant of motion oregon motion of hostility oregon people enmity oregon something?"

Mr Blair reassured him that his lawman made the aforesaid motion to him rather often, adding finally: "I deliberation helium conscionable likes drinking his beverage that way."