King Charles's ‘soft spot’ exposed as monarch celebrates key anniversary
King Charles met members of the public in Yorkshire
PA
King Charles’ “soft spot” for steam engines has been exposed as the monarch celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Flying Scotsman and the 50th anniversary of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.
Charles marked the occasion by taking the Royal Train into the market town of Pickering to step onboard the famous steam locomotive.
The King donned a light-coloured suit during his Yorkshire trip as he met hundreds of well-wishers.
Despite soaring temperatures, the public remained keen to greet the visiting monarch, with one woman in the crowd appearing the faint just moments after being passed by Charles.
Speaking on GB News, Simon Brockington from the North Yorkshire Moors Railway Trust, who had the opportunity to speak to Charles, said the visit exposed the monarch’s “soft spot”.
He told GB News’ Yorkshire and Humber reporter Anna Riley: “It was amazing [meeting the King], he arrived on the Royal Train and I was able to meet him off the train.
“He has spent the morning meeting our volunteers and members of staff and people who do all sorts of work across the railway.
“He has been in a fantastic mood and he has been asking everyone what they do, and it turns out he has a real soft spot for steam engines as well.”
King Charles visited Yorkshire to make the centenary year of the Flying Scotsman
PA
Charles looked relaxed as he chatted with many of the hundreds of people who had gathered on both sides of Pickering’s sweltering Market Place.
The monarch visited some of the local ships including a family butcher’s which sells produce from the Duchy of Lancaster.
After around 20 minutes in the sun, the King moved into the cool atmosphere of St Peter and St Paul’s Church, which is famous for its medieval wall paintings.
Commissioned around 1450, the paintings, one of the most complete sets in Britain, were only accidentally rediscovered behind plaster in 1852.
The King was given a guided tour by Dr Kate Giles, co-director of the Centre for the Study of Christianity and Culture and senior lecturer at the University of York.
Charles made a point of chatting to the bell-ringers, who had been in action all morning, providing a musical backdrop to his visit.
He asked them whether young people are interested in taking up the hobby, and was told they are not.
He asked about the different rings he had heard during his visit.
“What are you going to ring when I go?” he asked them.
“What do you want?” one of the group replied, making the royal visitor laugh.
The King replied: “I’m not sure. I’ll leave it to you.”
As he signed the visitors’ book, the King was told by the Reverend Gareth Atha that Queen Mary had visited the church in 1937.
Charles said: “I remember my great-grandmother very well.”