Sandra Chapman: Memories of his late parents can still leave a King in tears

For our top royal it must need a bit of practice now and then. Had the King forgotten the general rule - think of your cat, dog, money, even the weather instead. It’s not hard with a bit of practice.

So what makes me blub, when I simply can’t hold it together? It’s when I see one or other of my children whom I haven’t seen in ages. I have no problem talking to them on screen or even by phone. But when my child is a few steps away from my embrace I end up soaking their coat. As I did last week much to the amusement of said child and Himself who appears not to have this emotional streak.

Both our sons – our only children – live well out of reach. The oldest we can get to by train, the younger we have to board a plane to get to so being in their company is the ultimate treat of which I never tire, so my tears are plentiful.

No one would notice an ordinary person in tears but it must be a nightmare for the royals, King Charles in particular, who has a soft nature. The event he attended which showed him struggling mightily with the tears was the unveiling he carried out at the Royal Albert Hall of new bronze sculptures of his late parents.

Other royals were there too for the event including the Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Princess Royal and her husband Vice-Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence. I didn’t notice a tear from any of them. Our King was obviously biting well down on his teeth and holding the lips tightly together to keep himself from blubbing. It’s the one thing I like so much in him. Normal like most of the rest of us.

One wonders how life is shaping up in general for our royals now that the matriarch is gone. Does the average man/woman in the street think the same of this new arrangement which was inevitable eventually? The outsiders are the Princess of Wales and the Duchess of Edinburgh, though they’ve had a good few years to adjust. I can well envisage the late Queen may have had some kind of technique planned to ‘acquaint them’ with what was ahead.

Before she passed on did she ever despair of how her son might cope emotionally with her loss because he was close to her? Maybe she didn’t worry too much about the outsiders, having so many other things to worry about and as it happens they’ve all proved their worth. Not a blubber-er among them. I’ve never seen any of them in tears at any of the royal events. Charles was different, a caring soul who always seemed to know what the people expected of him, such as a soft heart.

I have one challenge for him though. His youngest son Harry, now living far from his birth place and family, could do with the father’s love he left behind. Maybe Harry’s the reason our King sometimes finds it hard to hold back the tears. Forgiveness and love go together.