As someone who sheepishly checked into a London hotel with two suitcases, a backpack, a garment bag and four huge shopping bags on a recent trip, I can certainly relate to a heavy packer. But apparently, King Charles is the ultimate overpacker when he heads on a weekend trip. And The King doesn't just bring his own pillow or an insane amount of luggage—in true regal style, the 76-year-old monarch has actually traveled with his own furniture and other bizarre items while visiting friends.
Author Tom Bower revealed what The King brought for a visit to North East England in his book Rebel King—originally titled Rebel Prince (via the Daily Mail). King Charles is so particular about his sleeping arrangements that he "sent his staff ahead a day early with a truck carrying furniture to replace the perfectly appropriate fittings in the guest rooms," Bower wrote.
The author continued that the "truck contained nothing less than Charles and Camilla’s complete bedrooms, including the Prince’s orthopedic bed, along with his own linen." What else was on his packing list? According to Bower, The King's "staff had also made sure to pack a small radio, Charles’s own lavatory seat, rolls of Kleenex Premium Comfort lavatory paper, Laphroaig whisky and bottled water (for both bedrooms), plus two landscapes of the Scottish Highlands."
Along with his favored bottled water, The King also brought his own organic food on his weekend trip, per the author. Needless to say, the monarch's friends might have been put off by the arrangements, with Bower writing, "His hosts decided, despite their enjoyment of his company, not to invite him again."
Author Tina Brown also noted King Charles's extreme preferences in her book The Palace Papers, writing of the monarch—who was Prince of Wales at the time—"Unlike the Queen, who always ate what she was served, the Prince stipulated his menu preferences up-front, and sometimes arrived at dinner with his protection officer bearing a martini premixed and ready to be handed to the butler and served in his own glass."
While it's been rumored that The King insists on having six eggs cooked each day so at least two are cooked to his preference, palace sources have denied the story in the past.
