We'd never imagine King Charles giving off James Bond vibes but this shirtless beach shot proves otherwise
We stumbled across a King Charles shirtless beach shot during his visit to Australia in 1981 and Daniel Craig might be jealous…


We might never have imagined it but this King Charles’ shirtless beach shot proves that the monarch can give off serious James Bond vibes.
- There was a photo taken of His Majesty reportedly enjoying his time at Bondi Beach during a tour of Australia in the 1980s.
- It’s quite a departure from what we’ve seen in recent years as the senior royal emerged from the sea shirtless just like James Bond in the 2006 Casino Royale movie.
- This royal news comes as Prince Harry revealed the disturbing reason behind the absence of Meghan's “traumatized” rescue dog.
Since ascending the throne reports have claimed King Charles is planning the “biggest royal tour in history” and the senior royal has already undertaken several visits throughout the home nations. This included King Charles’ visit to Northern Ireland and his recent time undertaking various engagements in Scotland alongside Queen Consort Camilla. And whilst His Majesty has yet to travel internationally since becoming King, we’ve come across a throwback photo from his time on tour in Australia in the 1980s that we just can’t get over!
Taken at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, as per the Getty caption, this King Charles shirtless beach shot shows him emerging from the ocean in dark swimming shorts. His hair wet from his swim, the King has a determined look on his face as he strides through the foam towards the beach.
There were also several other photos snapped on this particular occasion and it’s a far more casual look then fans are used to seeing from him. King Charles’ shirtless beach shot also bears a startling resemblance to the iconic moment Daniel Craig’s James Bond surfaces and purposefully walks out of the ocean in the 2006 Casino Royale film.
It seems that King Charles perfected this move before the ultimate British spy ever did this on screen as his throwback snap definitely gives the suave James Bond vibes.
The surprising beach picture was reportedly taken during his visit to Australia in 1981. Although in recent years His Majesty hasn’t been photographed embracing beach-side life in quite the same way, it’s of course possible he still enjoys swimming privately.
Either way, he was probably thrilled to get to enjoy a bit of down-time exploring Bondi Beach amid a very full royal schedule. It came two years before he visited Australia again in 1983, this time with Princess Diana. This particular trip allegedly resulted in a little tension according to the late Princess of Wales, who previously discussed the intense media attention on her vs King Charles.
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Speaking during the controversial Panorama interview in 1995, she said, “The pressure on us both as a couple with the media was phenomenal, and misunderstood by a great many people. We'd be going round Australia, for instance, and all you could hear was, 'Oh, she's on the other side.'"
Princess Diana later claimed, “Now, if you're a man like my husband, a proud man, you mind about that if you hear it every day for four weeks. And you feel low about it, instead of feeling happy and sharing it.”
This 1983 Australia tour might have been tinged with sadness for the couple, it wasn’t King Charles’ last time in the beautiful country. He and Queen Camilla last visited in 2018 when he opened the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and visited cities across Australia, including Brisbane. And if reports that King Charles is planning a huge international royal tour do turn out to be correct then he could be back visiting Australia in the not-too-distant future.
Emma is a Royal Editor with eight years experience working in publishing. She specialises in the British Royal Family, ranging from protocol to outfits. Alongside putting her royal knowledge to good use, Emma knows all there is to know about the latest TV shows on the BBC, ITV and more. When she’s not writing about the latest royal outing or unmissable show to add to your to-watch list, Emma enjoys cooking, long walks and watching yet more crime dramas!