King Charles cannot stop joking about losing Camilla to a war hero, and his latest cheeky one-liner proves the running bit is here to stay. Meeting 104-year-old Burma Star veteran James Fenton at 'Heroes on the Water' in Port Soderick this week, Charles could not resist teasing that the pensioner might be yet another man who has swept the Queen off her feet.
The exchange was brief, warm, and entirely typical of a couple who have made banter a part of their love language. It also revealed something far more telling than any state banquet ever could, that Charles and Camilla's marriage runs on humour, and the King is unafraid to play the jealous husband for laughs.
A Historic Return to the Isle of Man
Charles visited the Isle of Man for the first time as Lord of Mann. He spoke to Tynwald and then went to the veteran's kayaking. There, he met Fenton, a former bombardier in the Royal Artillery and the last surviving Burma Star recipient living on the island.
Fenton was only twenty when he was deployed to the brutal Burma campaign, often referred to as the Forgotten Army. He first met Charles in August 2025 during the 80th anniversary of VJ Day. During that meeting, Fenton invited the King to visit his home.
@chiroskyroyal #Repost @theroyalfamily ・・・ During a visit to the Isle of Man, The King sat down with James Fenton, a 104-year-old Burma Star veteran. James is one of the last surviving veterans of the Burma Campaign. His Majesty previously met him at commemorations for the 80th anniversary of VJ Day in 2025.
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Taking Fenton's hand, Charles noticed the veteran's slouch hat and grinned. 'You've still got your slouch hat on', he remarked. The King then shared his own struggles with ageing, saying, 'I don't know how you do it. It's difficult enough at my age'. In response, Fenton offered the monarch some hard-won wisdom: one simply has to keep going. Charles then quipped that growing older is 'terrible because bits keep dropping off'.
As their conversation wound down, Fenton asked the King to send his regards to Camilla. Charles's response quickly garnered attention from royal watchers online. 'I will', he replied, then added a humorous remark that has since circulated widely on social media: 'Don't tell me you're another one who danced with her as well.'
Camilla's Celebrated History With Veterans
The joke works because it is based on truth, even if Fenton never actually danced with the Queen. Charles was probably alluding to Camilla's well-known practice of dancing with veterans at commemorative events. For instance, in 2015, as Duchess of Cornwall, she danced with World War II veteran Jim Booth to commemorate the 70th anniversary of VJ Day, a moment that is still cherished by those who witnessed it.
@palaceconfidential Queen Camilla takes part in Kenyan dance festivities. 🇰🇪 #kenya #royalsvisitkenya #fyp #queencamilla #thequeen #royalfamily #dance #ceremonial
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Her love of dance is not limited to ceremonial turns on the floor either. Strictly Come Dancing favourite Angela Rippon revealed she persuaded the Queen to join the Silver Swans, an adult ballet programme, and that Camilla takes her weekly classes seriously as a way of keeping fit.
Two Decades of Public Affection and Wit
This isn't the first time Charles has poked fun at his wife in front of an audience. During a 2022 tour of Kigali, he laughed that Camilla was 'very bossy' as she hurried him along for official photographs. Then in April 2025, marking their real twentieth wedding anniversary during a state visit to Italy, he thanked his Italian hosts for arranging 'this small, romantic, candle-lit dinner for two' with visible amusement.
After two decades together, the King has found a formula for a happy marriage. Beneath the formal ceremonies and protocol, it is the banter and shared laughter between Charles and Camilla that help them navigate the heavier responsibilities of the crown.
