Unseen Photo of King Charles With a Gaint Fake Nose Resurfaces as He Turned 77
The rare photo shows the then Prince of Wales on a ski holiday in Klosters in 1980.
After a couple of difficult years, King Charles recently celebrated his 77th birthday. Fans and well-wishers took over social media to wish the monarch on his big day, but they received a playful surprise in return. An old photograph of a young Charles resurfaced online and shifted the tone of the day. The image shows the then Prince of Wales on a ski holiday in Klosters in 1980. As the heir apparent at the time, his every moment was closely followed by the paparazzi, so he attempted to trick them with a disguise that was more humorous than effective. He wore a giant fake nose, mustache, glasses, and a hat while trying to outwit photographers with a costume that never really stood a chance.
The images have been rarely seen in public in recent years and show the monarch leaning into the moment with a sense of amusement rather than frustration. Reports from that period suggest that the photographers had quickly realized it was him, which only added to the scene. However, instead of getting irritated by the whole situation, the King is said to have laughed along. For instance, after getting exposed, he later posed with the paparazzi when they returned the joke and arrived in costumes of their own.
For many royal watchers, the picture also recalls a long tradition of disguises used by the family to seek small moments of normalcy. Prince William and Princess Kate once wore wigs to see Toy Story 3 at the cinema without attracting attention. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly used Halloween costumes during the early days of their relationship to enjoy a rare evening without getting noticed. Princess Diana and Sarah Ferguson famously dressed as police officers for the latter’s bachelorette celebrations. To make matters more interesting, the two were briefly stopped by real officers, which turned into one of Diana’s most retold memories.
The resurfaced image of Charles appeared around the same time the Prince and Princess of Wales shared a heartfelt birthday message for him. They posted a new portrait of the King walking through the gardens of Highgrove House and added their own note on Instagram Stories, writing, “Happy Birthday to His Majesty The King.” The royal family’s main account had marked the day with the caption, “77 today! Thank you for the kind words and well wishes on His Majesty’s Birthday.” Both accounts reflected a respectable tribute at a time when the monarchy continued to move through a period of change.
The monarch spent his birthday in South Wales with Queen Camilla, visiting Cyfarthfa Castle and meeting local residents involved in arts and cultural projects. The occasion arrived only weeks after he signed Letters Patent that removed his younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s remaining titles and honors. He also lost his princely status and was asked to surrender the lease of Royal Lodge, a 30-room estate that had been his home for almost two decades. The lighthearted Klosters photograph briefly softened the mood, but it also sat beside clear evidence of the heavy decisions that still rest with the King.
