King Charles' behaviour with potential staff members revealed during milestone year for Trust

King Charles projects calm authority in public, but behind palace walls he’s known for something far more personal, unexpectedly warm approach to the people who might one day work for him.

Ant and Dec once recalled an unforgettable overnight stay at Dumfries House in 2006, when they were filming an ITV special marking 30 years of The Prince’s Trust. 

At the time, he was Prince of Wales and invited them to stay ahead of a final interview.

According to Ant McPartlin, the experience was surreal and slightly nerve-wracking. He even bonded easily with the monarch, describing him as warm and engaging. 

That said, royal protocol became very real very quickly. Ant admitted to an awkward run-in when he tried on a robe in his room and bumped into the Prince in the corridor, finding himself politely chatting about rose pruning while internally panicking.

But it was later that night that revealed Charles’ approach to behaviour around the household.

After sharing wine in their room, Ant and Dec’s laughter carried a little too far down the corridors of Dumfries House prompting staff to step in and firmly, but politely, ask them to keep the noise down.

The story has resurfaced as King Charles marks the 50th anniversary of The King’s Trust, the youth charity he founded using his Royal Navy severance pay during a turbulent economic era. 

Those who’ve met him during interviews or informal introductions say he listens intently and often steers the conversation away from titles and protocol toward ideas, passions, and purpose.