Royal Expert Says a Renewed King Charles Would've "Never" Been as Happy to Carry Out One Duty Years Ago

The Royal Family’s annual break at Balmoral Castle has official begun, and King Charles kicked off his summer stay with a traditional ceremony at the castle gates on Tuesday, August 18. The King traveled solo to Scotland as Queen Camilla took on royal duties back home, including a trip to York Racecourse on Wednesday, and one royal expert says that Charles “is at his most happy” in the Highlands.

The King, dressed in a classic tartan kilt with a vest and suit jacket, arrived to inspect the Royal Regiment of Scotland’s Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion, along with their adorable Shetland pony mascot, Corporal Cruachan IV. While greeting members of the public gathered doutside the gates, a relaxed King Charles was seen sharing jokes with fans, and body language expert Darren Stanton noted the monarch appeared “totally at home.”

Speaking to Betfair Casino, Stanton shared that like Queen Elizabeth, Balmoral is where King Charles is at his happiest—but King Charles has also had a shift in his behavior overall since taking the throne.

“In terms of his body language, years ago you would have never seen him this happy to do walkabouts greeting the crowds—especially when he is on holiday,” Stanton said. “He used to do them but now you can see he really enjoys them.”

During his visit, King Charles chatted with soldiers and nearly got bit by the mischievous pony, who had several similar run-ins with Queen Elizabeth in her day.

Stanton said The King showed “genuine” contentedness with his expressions while exchanging banter with soldiers and the crowd. “He seems incredibly confident, there are no pacifying gestures, he isn’t fiddling with his cufflinks, or covering his torso,” the body language expert continued. “This confidence comes from feeling totally at home—the enjoyment he gets from being at Balmoral is evident in every movement.”

Noting how the crowd mirrored King Charles’s upbeat mood, Stanton added, “I genuinely don’t think he has ever been so popular.”