King ‘charming and funny’ as he attends Royal Variety Performance alone

The King appeared “charming and funny” arsenic helium attended this year’s Royal Variety Performance unsocial aft the Queen was forced to miss the lawsuit to retrieve from a thorax infection.

Charles attended the amusement astatine the Royal Albert Hall successful London for the archetypal clip arsenic patron of the Royal Variety charity, pursuing successful the footsteps of his mother, the precocious Queen Elizabeth II.

He arrived unsocial connected Friday evening aft Camilla pulled retired of the lawsuit astatine the past minute, having been advised by doctors to remainder pursuing her caller thorax infection.

Show hosts Alan Carr and Amanda Holden expressed gratitude astatine Charles’ attendance contempt his wife’s lingering unwellness – and enthusiasm astatine the quality their comic numbers connected signifier made the monarch laugh.

Holden said: “His Majesty was amazingly charming – helium said we decidedly earned our lb that we got paid. We mentioned Her Majesty and wished her well.

“He did truthful good to beryllium here. He was truly comic – I’ve ever said retired of everyone he’s got the champion consciousness of humour successful the full of the royal family.”

Carr, who met Charles for the archetypal clip aft the event, said the King was “really sweet” arsenic helium apologised for the Queen’s unexpected absence.

“We besides got the goss that helium was laughing astatine immoderate of our bits truthful we’re precise happy” helium said.

“If you get a laugh, good – that’s what you’re present for.”

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said soon earlier the show: “Following a caller thorax infection, the Queen continues to acquisition immoderate lingering post-viral symptoms, arsenic a effect of which doctors person advised that, aft a engaged week of engagements, Her Majesty should prioritise capable rest.

“With large regret, she has truthful withdrawn from attendance astatine tonight’s Royal Variety Performance. His Majesty volition be arsenic planned.”

A royal root said the Queen was “naturally disappointed to miss the evening’s entertainments and sends her sincere apologies to each those involved, but is simply a large believer that ‘the amusement indispensable spell on’”.

“She hopes to beryllium backmost to afloat spot and regular nationalist duties precise soon,” the root added.

Performers included comedians Scott Bennett, Larry Dean, Ellie Taylor and governmental comic Matt Forde, whose content of Donald Trump drew an amused absorption from the King.

The show saw Forde notation the unfounded claims Mr Trump repeated during his statesmanlike statement with Democrat campaigner Kamala Harris that amerciable immigrants from Haiti were eating pets successful the Ohio metropolis of Springfield.

Forde exclaimed successful the president-elect’s voice: “They’re eating the cats, they’re eating the dogs!”

He past turned to code Charles from the stage, saying successful Mr Trump’s voice: “Your Majesty King Charles, you’re named aft a spaniel – beryllium precise careful, they’ll devour you alive.”

The King was seen laughing successful effect from the royal box.

Speaking aft the show, Forde said helium asked the King: “I anticipation I haven’t committed treason”, successful notation to his onstage quip.

“It turns retired I haven’t, I don’t think”, helium said.

“He (Charles) said he’d waited 300 years for that gag to beryllium capable to beryllium told.”

The nighttime saw performances by Britain’s Got Talent 2024 victor Sydnie Christmas, who sang Imagine Dragons’ Believer, Cirque du Soleil acrobats and philharmonic numbers from Cameron Mackintosh’s accumulation of Oliver!, starring Jack Philpott successful the rubric role.

Sir Elton John and his hubby David Furnish besides presented a philharmonic fig from their caller amusement The Devil Wears Prada, based connected the 2006 Oscar-nominated film, with Vanessa Williams arsenic fearsome manner mag exertion Miranda Priestly.

Money raised by the amusement volition assistance radical from the satellite of amusement successful request of attraction and assistance with the Royal Variety Charity launching an inaugural to assistance those with intelligence wellness issues this year.