Tags: Celebrities. Prince Charles. Royalty. Royals. Prince. Famous people.
HELLY’S CELEBRITIES OF THE 20TH CENTURY
UNEXPECTED ROYAL MOMENTS
With Helly Kemp
What I loved so much about Prince Charles, when he was a young man in his twenties, was his affinity for the natural world.
I never had the privilege of interviewing him but had a brief encounter with His Royal Highness in Kent, when he came to open a new engineering works next to the shopping centre where I was working in my other profession as the pharmacy manager of a huge pharmacy with ten shop assistants.
Quite a crowd was leaning against the barrier as His Royal Highness walked along it greeting the locals. I stood in the second row and Prince Charles had already well passed me, when all of a sudden he turned around and walked back towards me, obviously having noticed a few moments earlier my turquoise Estee Lauder uniform with her name embroidered on it. “Oh, you know Estee Lauder!” he exclaimed with a broad smile. “No, actually I don’t, Your Royal Highness,” I replied, “I am just one of her Beauty Consultants working currently in this shopping centre.” “Well, whenever I meet her,” he continued and there seemed to be a softness and admiration in his voice, “She always suggests different types of creams I should use. But I don’t think anyone can do much with my face!” The crowd, appreciating Prince Charles’ sense of humour burst out laughing.
Years earlier in the seventies, while I was living in London, my friend, Peter Sellers, who was also a well established and most talented photographer, as well as the U.K’s most loved comedian film star, in movies like the ‘Pink Panther’ series and ‘Being There’ with Shirley MacLaine, told me he wanted to take some portraits of Prince Charles. Of course, I would have liked to come with him, but Peter did not think the Palace would allow it. He suggested I write to the establishment asking for permission and so I sent a letter to Prince Charles.
Well, no permission was, of course, ever given, but I was content knowing that His Royal Highness must have read my letter because shortly afterwards according to Peter Sellers the following occurred: Prince Charles had always been a most avid fan of the Goons, not Just Peter Sellers, but also Harry Secombe and Spike Milligan. And as there was a big upcoming anniversary celebration dinner of the Goon Show, His Royal Highness was the obvious Guest of Honour. During the dinner, the Prince nudged Peter with his elbow and eagerly asked, “Is it true? Do you really want to take pictures of me?”
Alas, as you can see by the attached letter, yours truly was not to be included in this project. But Peter Sellers’ portraits of His Royal Highness were successfully taken and syndicated worldwide by the Camera Press News Agency.
Peter Sellers
**** P.S. Watch out for more Unexpected Royal Moments with Princess Anne and my incredibly elegant Afghan Hound, Ramo, in the May 2018 issue of The Bribie Islander.
Featured Image(top): Prince Charles, Prince of Wales
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