Prince Charles being mobbed in London marks a significant change for the senior royal

The Prince of Wales was greeted by huge crowds during a trip to meet the young staff at JD Sports in Walworth, South London on Wednesday

Prince Charles being mobbed in London marks a significant change for the senior royal
(Image credit: Getty)

Prince Charles was mobbed by crowds in London yesterday in an unusually intense fandom for the royal heir, symbolizing a potential shift in the UK public's reaction to their future King. 

  • Prince Charles was mobbed by crowds during a visit to south London on Wednesday, just two days after stepping in for the Queen at the State Opening of Parliament. 
  • The Prince of Wales was in the Walworth district of the UK capital to meet young people who had benefited from the Kickstarter scheme, an employment initiative supported by the Prince's Trust. 
  • In other royal news, Princess Eugenie teams up with iconic A-lister in exciting new project.

Prince Charles was mobbed by crowds yesterday during a trip to an East Street market in South London, just two days after he delivered the Queen's Speech at the State Opening of Parliament. 

Joined by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, the 73-year-old visited the famous stalls of Walworth before heading to JD Sports to meet staff who had been employed by the Kickstart initiative – a job creation scheme supported by the Prince's Trust. 

He was quickly surrounded by hundreds of people, many of whom were desperate to shake his hand or exchange a few words. Some folks tried to grab the Prince of Wales's attention with gratitude, with one woman shouting, "Thank you for stopping by!" 

Charles

(Image credit: Getty)

Another spectator expressed concern for the Queen, who canceled her State Opening of Parliament earlier this week due to 'episodic mobility issues'. 

"How's your mum?" they called, only for the query to fall on deaf ears. 

“I don’t know why I polished my shoes this morning. I’ve never had so many people stand on them," a plainclothes officer later told the Times. 

The warm welcome has likely come as a surprise to the eldest of the Queen's children, who, unlike Prince William and Kate Middleton, isn't used to such fanfare at public appearances. Polls from 2021 have shown that the Prince of Wales' popularity rating has risen steadily in recent times, increasing from 54% to 60% over the course of just three months last year. This is undoubtedly good news for the future of the Royal Family, which is reportedly set for a major rehaul come Prince Charles' reign

After safely escaping the hysteria, Charles arrived at the local JD Sports branch, where he was welcomed with a sign saying “The King of Trainers.”

Charles

(Image credit: Getty)

The future monarch and the Chancellor were there to meet employees who had been hired through the Kickstart scheme, an initiative launched by Sunak during the pandemic to help young people at risk of long-term unemployment secure work. 

In typical royal fashion, Charles chatted effortlessly to the staff, asking them about the nature of their jobs and if they receive 'anything free' for working there. 

He also sympathized with one young man who had just completed his A-levels, admitting, "It’s a lot of hard work, isn’t it? I’m so glad that I don’t have to do those exams anymore." 

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.

Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.