King Charles joked about ageing in a candid exchange at a Buckingham Palace garden party on Tuesday.
During his walkabout among the enthusiastic guests, the King paused to speak with Virginia Cavill, who was seated in a wheelchair following a recent fall that left her with a broken ankle.
King Charles quipped about the challenges of ageing, telling Ms Cavill: "This is the trouble as you get older, I know it's going to happen to me."
When she enquired about his own wellbeing, the monarch offered a small smile in response.
King Charles joked about ageing in a candid exchange at Buckingham Palace
|PA
"I'm OK, I totter along," he replied.
The self-deprecating exchange drew warmth from those gathered nearby as the royals continued greeting attendees along the lines.
Close to 8,000 guests descended on Buckingham Palace on Tuesday afternoon for a garden party honouring frontline workers from across the United Kingdom.
The King and Queen hosted the celebration, joined by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester on the Palace grounds.
King Charles speaking to attendees at the garden party
|PA
Attendees arrived in vibrant dresses, lounge suits and national dress, gathering on the lawn to enjoy tea, cakes, sandwiches and ice cream beneath overcast skies.
King Charles appeared on the West Terrace wearing a morning suit with a grey waistcoat, removing his top hat to wave at the assembled crowd as the national anthem played.
This marked the third such garden party at the Palace this month.
The King also met Matthew Leburn, a Southern Railway driver with 15 years of service who recently intervened to save a teenage girl's life.
Matthew Leburn, a Southern Railway train driver, was invited to the garden party
|PA
Mr Leburn said he had received a call about a trespasser on the line between Eastbourne and Polegate stations.
"So I went around the corner, she was still there, and she looked in distress. She had unfortunately self-harmed as well, and she was sitting by the side of the rail," he recounted.
After stopping his train and cutting the power, Mr Leburn persuaded the 15-year-old to board before providing first aid at the next station.
The King asked whether such incidents occurred frequently, to which Mr Leburn responded that railway trespasses were unfortunately common.
King Charles and Queen Camilla at the garden party with the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester | PAPodcaster and historian Tom Holland, host of The Rest Is History, was among those who spoke with the monarch during the afternoon gathering.
Mr Holland praised King Charles for his recent American visit, telling him: "We were chatting about his speech in America, I just congratulated him on it and some of the excellent jokes."
He described the encounter as "surreal", adding: "I've met him once before, but it's always an honour and always faintly surreal."
Throughout the afternoon, Yeomen of the Guard in their distinctive red and gold ceremonial attire processed through the gardens whilst military bands performed wartime classics and contemporary covers for the mingling guests.