King Charles, Camilla, and Prince William all smile during the coronation
Royals

8 sweet moments from new royal documentary – from King Charles’ ‘sausage fingers’ to ‘winking at a bishop’ and sweet nickname for Princess Anne

Boxing Day film contains unseen behind-the-scenes royal footage

The Coronation Year, a new royal film depicting the first year of King Charles‘ reign, will be on the box on Boxing Day.

Among the behind-the-scenes footage shared in the film are plenty of unseen moments from the King’s coronation in May. Footage of the monarch and his relatives practicing with and trying on their crowns and robes ahead of their big day will be shown.

Furthermore, The Coronation Year film also contains interviews with royal officials and other members of the royal family.

Here are several revealing moments from the programme, including King Charles’ referring to his “sausage fingers” and details about how Queen Camilla ‘winked at a bishop’.

King Charles sits
Will you be watching The Coronation Year? (Credit: BBC News YouTube)

The Coronation Year film: 8 sweet moments

‘Sausage fingers’

Prince William is shown having a coronation rehearsal of handing over the Stole Royal, a symbolic band of cloth, with his dad King Charles in the film.

However, Wills appears to struggle with a catch on the Stole.

“On the day it’s not going to go in, is it?” he ponders.

A chuckling Charles replies: “No. [But] you haven’t got sausage fingers like mine!”

Prince William pledges an oath to King Charles
Prince William pledges an oath to King Charles (Credit: Sky News YouTube)

Cheek to cheek

Another run-through is included, as William tries out his oath to the King.

The Prince of Wales jokes about which of Charles’ cheeks he will kiss, tickling his dad’s face.

“Your left cheek is better!” William quips.

Also attending rehearsals are William’s wife Kate, and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Royal fans will enjoy how the King warmly greets his daughter-in-law and three of his grandchildren.

King Charles is crowned
King Charles is crowned (Credit: BBC News YouTube)

‘Jam it on’

In rehearsals for the moment the Archbishop of Canterbury places the crown on Charles’ head, the King urges Justin Welby to wield the ornate headgear with a little more oomph.

“You have to jam it on,” he tells the Archbishop.

“I don’t want to break your neck, Sir. It might ruin the service,” Charles is told in a jokey response.

However, Charles insists: “No, you won’t. Otherwise, I promise you – it’s so huge, it’s got to be on right and I can’t do anything about it.”

Camilla looks to her side
It was a big day for Camilla, too (Credit: BBC News YouTube)

‘Endearing Camilla’

Meanwhile, the Bishop of Norwich is shown cueing up Camilla to kneel for her anointing. “Yes, righto!” she replies cheerfully.

Camilla knows when to wink at a bishop.

Furthermore, Lady Landsdowne, one of Camilla’s two Ladies in Attendance during the coronation, reveals: “She knows when to be serious. And she knows when to wink at a bishop, but [also] when not to, which I think is a rather endearing quality.”

Watch out for Camilla’s dress!

Lady Lansdowne also shares “quite a funny moment” from Westminster Abbey. At one point Camilla appeared to be backing away from the crown.

However, Lady Lansdowne suggests: “I think that was just because she was worried that the Archbishop was going to tread on her dress. So she was just pulling herself back.”

Members of the royal family attend the King Charles coronation
Westminster Abbey was packed with members of the royal family (Credit: BBC News YouTube)

Archbishop’s wife ‘not on the list’

During a conversation with the Bishop of Durham, Charles learns the bishop’s wife isn’t on the guest list. Instead, she will be watching the coronation on telly in a hotel across the road from the Archbishop of Canterbury’s official residence, Lambeth Palace.

Charles reflects: “It’s so frustrating we can’t just have other halves here.”

King Charles’ cheery greeting to Princess Anne

The bond between Charles and his sister Princess Anne is evident as he kisses her hand, saying: “Hello, old bean.”

Anne also contributes by speaking about how the pressures of the occasion.

“Ask any actor who comes off stage having done a performance that they really put a lot into, it’s that kind of relief,” she explains.

A view of Westminster Abbey during the King Charles coronation
A view of Westminster Abbey during King Charles coronation (Credit: BBC News YouTube)

King’s a grafter

Another side of Charles’ role is shown as he considers paperwork with his private secretary at Balmoral.

Discussing a communication with Sir Clive Alderton to the King of Sweden, Charles checks: “Oh gracious, is this in Swedish? I hope that’s right, is it, the Swedish? You never know if somebody’s fed you something frightful to say!”

Sir Clive also reflects: “The King is an incredibly hard worker. I think that’s one of the things that pretty much everybody knows about him. He works till very late at night, often well beyond midnight.”

Read more: Furious viewers flood Ofcom with 8,000 complaints about King Charles’ coronation

Charles III: The Coronation Year is on BBC One on Boxing Day (Tuesday, December 26) at 6.50pm.

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Robert Leigh
Freelance writer