King Charles III joked about his health during his final public engagement before the royal family’s Christmas celebrations. While attending a reception at Waltham Forest Town Hall in east London with Queen Camilla, the King humorously responded to a question about his well-being from Sikh faith representative Harvinder Rattan, saying, “I’m still alive.”
The visit highlighted the royals’ commitment to community support. Camilla donated 25 toys to Citizens UK to benefit children living in asylum hotels, while a separate donation to a local food bank was made on the King’s behalf. The contribution included festive staples such as Christmas puddings, custard, and mince pies. Citizens UK representative George Gaillett shared, “The Queen said, ‘We hope you can distribute this and they can go to the right people.’”
During the event, Charles and Camilla enjoyed a performance by A Little Choir of Joy, composed of children aged 8 to 12 from local schools. After the performance, the King wished the children a “very happy Christmas” and lightheartedly told them to “make the most of it” for the sake of their “poor teachers.”
hared a nostalgic moment with Caroline Akuffo, who presented him with a black-and-white photo from their 1970 meeting in Osaka, Japan. “He was so happy to see the photo and said I was wearing a lovely dress,” Akuffo said, recalling the King’s warmth.
The visit also recognized the borough’s unity following a counter-demonstration in August, where over 5,000 residents peacefully gathered to oppose planned protests outside an immigration center. Buckingham Palace praised the event as a testament to the “true community spirit” of the area.
With the engagement concluded, Charles and Camilla are expected to travel to Sandringham, where they will host members of the royal family for their traditional Christmas celebrations.
