King Charles gave royal watchers a warm and unexpectedly funny moment during his first visit to the Isle of Man as monarch, when he met 104-year-old Burma Star veteran James Fenton and joked about the challenges of growing older.
The King, 77, travelled to the Crown dependency for a packed day of engagements, including a visit to Heroes on the Water, a charity that supports injured military veterans and members of the uniformed services through outdoor and water-based activities. It was there that Charles met Mr Fenton, who served during the Second World War and received the Burma Star for his role in the Burma Campaign.
As part of the trip to the Isle of Man, Charles visited the headquarters of Heroes on the Water where he met Burma Star veteran James Fenton (pictured)
During their conversation, the 77-year-old Charles shared a light-hearted joke with Mr Fenton about their age
Their exchange quickly became one of the most touching moments of the visit. Mr Fenton told the King he had been waiting to meet him for âquite some timeâ and said he hoped His Majesty was keeping well. Charles replied that he was ânot too badâ before adding with a smile: âI donât know how you do it, itâs bad enough at my age!â
Mr Fentonâs response carried the quiet resilience of a wartime generation. âWell you have to cope with it donât you. You just have to keep going,â he told the King. Charles was also impressed to hear that the veteran still had his slouch hat, a piece of headgear issued to troops during the war. Mr Fenton said he looked after it carefully and kept it safely packed away.
Charles waves to well-wishers from a horse-drawn in the Isle of Man’s capital Douglas
The visit to the Isle of Mann was Charles’ first as the monarch
The meeting highlighted one of the Kingâs most familiar strengths on public duty: his ability to turn formal engagements into personal conversations. Even during a busy royal schedule, Charles appeared relaxed as he listened to Mr Fentonâs memories and shared a light-hearted moment that many royal fans found both moving and charming.
After leaving the charity, the King was presented with a bell from a retired ambulance â another symbolic nod to service, community and remembrance. His Isle of Man visit then continued with a public walkabout, where he greeted local residents who had gathered to welcome him.
The day also included a strong heritage theme. Charles unveiled a plaque marking the 150th anniversary of the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway before taking a ride on a newly restored historic horse-drawn tram. The monarch waved to well-wishers from the tram as it moved through Douglas, creating another memorable image from the visit.
Charles, who holds the title Lord of Mann, also addressed Tynwald, the Manx parliament. He praised it as the worldâs oldest parliament in continuous operation and said its longevity reflected both the strength of the islandâs institutions and the enduring relationship between the Crown and the people of the Isle of Man.
The King last visited the Isle of Man in 2012, but he said this latest visit carried special meaning because it was his first time addressing Tynwald Court personally as Lord of Mann. For many watching, however, it was his gentle exchange with James Fenton that captured the heart of the day.
In a week filled with royal headlines, this was a quieter but powerful reminder of the human side of monarchy: a King, a veteran, a shared laugh, and a simple message of endurance â you just have to keep going.
