King Charles III shared a humorous exchange about age with a 104-year-old World War Two veteran during his recent visit to the Isle of Man. It marked the monarch's first trip to the crown dependency since his accession to the throne.
During his visit, Charles stopped at the headquarters of Heroes on the Water, a charity that supports injured military veterans through various activities. There, he met James Fenton, who received the Burma Star for his service in the Burma Campaign during World War II. Mr. Fenton had been waiting to meet the King for some time and inquired about his well-being.
"Not too bad thank you very much," Charles replied, before adding with a jest, "I don't know how you do it, it's bad enough at my age!" Mr. Fenton responded, "Well you have to cope with it don't you. You just have to keep going." . The King also expressed admiration that Mr. Fenton had retained his military slouch hat.
Following his visit to the charity, the King was presented with a bell from a retired ambulance. His itinerary also included a royal walkabout to greet residents of the Isle of Man. Charles then unveiled a plaque commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway and took a ride on a newly restored historic tram.
Micheal and Sue Crellin, whose family has been involved with the tramways for over 50 years, were among those present. Mrs. Crellin noted the horses were adorned in red and yellow, and mentioned that "Bobby," the horse that pulled the King's tram, had wintered at their home.
As Lord of Mann, Charles addressed the Manx parliament, Tynwald, in Douglas. He acknowledged Tynwald's distinction as the world's oldest continuously operating parliament, stating, "This longevity speaks not only to the strength of your institutions, but also to the enduring partnership between the Crown and the people of this island." Charles remarked that while he had visited the Isle of Man in 2012, this visit was more significant as it was his first time addressing Tynwald Court as Lord of Mann.
