The King showed a hitherto unknown talent for the ukulele as he toured allotments on the final day of his visit to Northern Ireland.
He also extolled the virtues of homegrown carrots as he walked around the Ards Allotments, created in 2006 by Maurice Patton in the grounds of his farm just outside Newtownards, Co Down, on the northern shores of Strangford Lough.
Mr Patton, 72, was inspired by the then Prince of Wales whose visit 22 years ago to Vista Allotments in Dundonald, Co Down, a few miles down the road, was on the news.
‘I thought, that’s not a bad business idea,’ he told the King.
‘So I rang the owners up, who I knew fairly well, and he swore at me down the phone and with a second breath, I asked if I could send a girl up to do a business plan.
‘We’re very friendly still, they’re not in competition with each other.’
‘You were the instigator,’ Mr Patton’s wife Judith Patton told him with a smile.
Ards Allotments began with 20 plots and now has 104.
Mr Patton told the King he still ‘got a buzz’ from gardening, describing the satisfaction of pulling up a carrot grown from seed, ‘wiping it off on your trousers’ and eating it. ‘Oh yes, and they taste better,’ the King agreed.
The monarch also chatted about the health benefits of gardening with a group running a plot on The Bahamas of the NHS South Eastern Trust.
The King had a quick strum on a ukulele during his final day of their Majesties’ three-day visit to Northern Ireland
The Queen stroked several dogs and picked up an eight-month-old shih tzu called Teddy that licked her face
Charles paid a visit to County Down where he met with the founder of Ards Allotments, Maurice Patton, and his wife Judith Patton
Her Majesty she spoke with volunteers of Women’s Aid who have supported up to 523 women and 364 children over the past year
Charles and Camilla pictured cutting a cake during a visit to The Warehouse in Newtownards
Dressed in a stylish blue Bruce Oldfield suit, previously worn to the 2024 Epsom Derby, Camilla also opted for a striking brooch with incredible historic poignance
‘It just makes such a a difference doesn’t it?’ he said.
When he asked plot owner Trevor Rea, 77, if he was still managing alright, Mr Rea told him he was born in 1948.
‘Join the club,’ the King chuckled.
He nodded enthusiastically as another plot owner said she encouraged everyone to do two things – to grow their own vegetables and ‘plant something for the wildlife’.
The King later stopped at a plot managed by Decorum NI, which supports military personnel who served during the Troubles.
The women there were all wearing elaborate homemade hats. ‘The great thing is that I can’t miss you,’ the King joked. ‘There’s always been a shortage of allotments,’ he told them.
Mr Patton joked that he was ‘quite hard’ on the plot owners and told them not to have any weeds. ‘Quite right,’ the King said.
A group called Loughrie’s Men’s Ukelele Ensemble serenaded the monarch and gave him a ukelele to play. The King held it up to his ear and strummed along with the band for some time.
‘There’s a marvellous organisation called the Ukelele Orchestra of Great Britain, it’s fantastic,’ he told them afterwards.
King Charles greets well-wishers during a visit to Newtownards
The Queen enjoyed an ice cream and wafer as she spoke with stallholders and local traders in Newtownard today
During his visit, the King spoke with members of the Loughries Men’s Shed Ukulele Ensemble
Following their separate engagements, their Majesties reunited at Newtownard’s Conway Square to meet with members of the public during a two-day festival held in celebration of the local community
Charles and Camilla were joyously welcomed by a furry friend during their visit today
Queen Camilla and King Charles have kicked off the final day of their official visit to Northern Ireland with separate engagements across the region
Charles met the community of volunteers, gardeners and growers who use the allotment space to grow fresh produce while helping to contribute to the community
Pictured: The King speaks with allotment users dressed in floral design hats
King Charles and Queen Camilla concluded the second day of their Northern Ireland visit yesterday in style with a lavish garden party at Hillsborough Castle
One member shouted out- ‘maybe you can get us into the Palladium!’.
The King laughed. ‘It’s such a great instrument,’ he added. ‘Do you remember the words? Wait ’til you get to my age.’
‘It was a great honour to play for you,’ another member said.
‘You’re very kind,’ replied the King.
He then chatted all things potatoes with another plot owner. ‘Fantastic potatoes you’re growing, which ones are these?’ he asked.
Told they were Maris Pipers, he said: ‘I love a good waxy one.’
As he left, a member of the band shouted ‘three cheers for the King!’ prompting a royal thumbs up.
Mrs Patton told him as he got into his car: ‘I love your aftershave!’
‘Success at last!’ the King laughed throwing his hands in the air in delight. ‘Citrus tones.’
He left laden with plants, flowers and herbs to take home.
The Queen later enjoyed an ice cream – for lunch – as she wrapped up their three-day visit at Conway Square in Newtownards, Co Down.
The Queen was given a vanilla ice cream made by local family business Cafolla’s, which was established in 1919.
Asked for her verdict, she said: ‘Can I stay here? Can I stay and eat it all?’
Before handing it to her equerry, she said: ‘I’ll just have one more bit.’
‘That was completely delicious,’ she added.
Cafolla’s is run by husband and wife team Michael and Maria Cafolla, 61 and 58, and their son Thomas, 30.
‘We make it fresh every day,’ Mr Cafolla said.
‘We’ve had five locations in the town over the last 100 years.’
The business was started by his grandfather Giuseppi.
‘They were Italian immigrants,’ Mr Cafolla said:
‘He came over before WW1, he had to go and fight in the war but then set up the business when he came back in 1919.’
Elsewhere, the Queen tried some ginger ale from Papa’s Mineral Co; which sells its wares at the local farm shop.
‘I love ginger,’ she said.
‘You need a bit of whiskey to go with that,’ said an employee..
‘Oh yes, that’s the best drink,’ the Queen agreed.
She also met some schoolchildren who had a model of Paddington with them.
‘Oh, Paddington again,’ she said ‘A well-loved bear.’
The King and Queen then separated to greet the huge crowds that had turned out to see them.
‘Thank you for coming to Northern Ireland,’ many shouted.
‘Thank you for coming to see us.’
The Queen stroked several dogs and picked up an eight-month-old shih tzu called Teddy that licked her face.
