The King joked he was “allowed out” of his cage as he made a last minute visit to an Army barracks in Surrey – before joking about needing a ‘strong drink’ as a parent
The King made a suprise visit to an Army barracks, joking he had been “allowed out” of his cage and he “wanted to come to have a look”.
Charles made the playful comments while on a trip to the 3 Royal School of Military Engineering (3RSME) at Gibraltar Barracks, Minley, Surrey. He was pictured meeting with groups of engineers and their families, as they shared their experiences training at the school, as well as the support they receive from loved ones.
He then joked with Natalie Newman, the wife of electrician Corporal Joseph Newman, when she told him they had three children. The King cheekily told her: “Nothing a strong drink won’t help.”
Charles, who is Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Engineers, was joined by the Lord Lieutenant Nigel Atkinson and Major General Eldon Millar before he received a salute from a Quarter Guard comprising officers from the school.
As he was led into the officers’ mess by Lieutenant Colonel Robert Grant, commanding officer of 3RSME, the King said to him: “I do apologise for taking you by surprise, when this opportunity appeared and I had been allowed out of my cage, I wanted to come to have a look.”
Lt Col Grant told the PA news agency: “We only had six days to pull this together but the only answer from us was ‘yes’. There was a palpable sense of excitement as you saw the units spark into life for the visit.” When Cpl Newman told him that his role was as an electrician, he said to his wife, Mrs Newman: “Terribly helpful to have an electrician around.” She replied jokingly: “Well, you say that!”
Speaking afterwards, Mrs Newman, 34, from Poole, Dorset, said: “It was amazing, nerve-wracking, but amazing. I just said how many children I had, I said I had three children, and he said ‘It was nothing a strong drink won’t help’. He was really funny, he appeared absolutely fine and upbeat.”
Cpl Newman, 32, said: “He is a really lovely person, he liked to engage with you, it wasn’t a fleeting chat, it was an in-depth conversation.”
Officers from the 8 Engineer Brigade HQ, which provides engineering support to military operations, were also greeted by the King, and, before he left, Charles signed the regiment’s visitors’ book. He was presented with gifts of flowers and Royal Engineer china mugs from the children of some of the barracks’ serving soldiers.
When Charles got the chance to greet the families and staff members who waited outside to see him leave, he joked: “Aren’t you all meant to be having lunch?”
Six-year-old Louie Bacon, son of Warrant Officer 2 Mark Bacon, had drawn a portrait of the King and gifted it to him. Louie said it was good to meet the King and he was very excited. Mother Kim Lewis, of Fleet, said: “It was really exciting, a once-in-a-lifetime chance, definitely worth half a day off.”
Formed as the Combat Engineer Centre of Excellence in September 1939, the 3RSME remains the base where all Royal Engineer soldiers and officers pass through to receive combat engineer initial trade training. The school provides command courses at the junior and senior level, as well as combat engineer courses, teaching skills such as bridging, demolitions and water supply.
