Each December, members of the Royal Family dress in their best evening attire to attend the star-studded Royal Variety Performance. Although the show is months away, one performer was decided over the weekend during the finale of Britain’s Got Talent. Harry Moulding, a 24-year-old magician from Blackpool, England, snagged £250,000 and a spot during the Royal Variety Performance—but according to a former royal butler, one royal probably wasn't watching.
While King Charles and Queen Camilla often attend the annual display of music, dance, comedy and theater, one of his former butlers, Grant Harrold, says he doesn't think The King is a fan of the ITV competition show that feeds into the event.
"I don’t remember them ever watching Britain’s Got Talent," Harrold—who worked for Charles between 2004 and 2011—said. The former butler, speaking on behalf of Spin Genie, continued, "I don’t think it’s something the King would watch. Camilla? Possibly. I think she quite likes game shows, and I think that's the kind of thing she would watch."
Being informed is important to The King, and Harrold said that even if King Charles didn't tune in, Camilla "would probably watch it and fill Charles in on it so he knows who is who."
Despite not being a reality competition fan, the monarch is keen to be prepared when he attends the Royal Variety Performance. "What they absolutely do is give The King a full background on how the show runs. He needs to understand how they pick the contestants, how the process works, because when he meets the winner at the Royal Variety, he wants to know this," Harrold explains.
"Even though he might not watch it, he probably has seen one or two, or maybe Queen Camilla fills him in, but I can guarantee, from the official point of view, he will be filled in," he adds.
Last year, Queen Camilla was forced to miss the show because of the lingering effects of pneumonia, leaving The King to attend on his own. In previous years, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and Prince William and Princess Kate have attended on behalf of King Charles or Queen Elizabeth, so it's possible The King won't be there this year. Either way, it's safe to say the royals will have brushed up on their magic this December.
