To be sad at how Charles The King looks compared to how Charles the Prince looked?

[PyongyangKipperbang]

Before anyone feels the need to point it out, yes I know he has just lost his parents in quick succession and got dropped into a role of high stress and responsibility. I get that it will affect him.

But I saddens me so much that he looks so much more careworn in such a small space of time. It struck me today when I saw the photos of him, he seems so much more stern, almost angry. I cant really describe it but in years past there was a kindness or empathy or something in his face at such events and that seems to have gone. He looks so so much older than he did just 6 months ago. I feel for him and his family and I say this as a republican, but also as a human being.

The passing of time on anyone’s face can be shocking. You don’t have to know them personally. Also, how many people here have read that some celebrity they haven’t thought of in years has died and feel fleeting sadness? Many, I’m sure.

OP we all know you aren’t sitting blubbing into your tea about old King Charles, I think some people will just always react negatively when Royals are mentioned because of their ‘privileged’ position. It gets people’s back up.

For what it’s worth I agree, he does look older and sadder. His suits are better though so that’s one plus he has going for him.

In fairness, he receives far too much correspondence from the general public to give each letter his personal attention.

Lol sad about someone who couldn't give a crap about you!

I agree with you OP, and had the same thoughts seeing him.( and I’m no royalist) Also sad at how quickly it seems you can be criticised and ridiculed on here by just for expressing a bit of feeling for someone as a fellow human as you say. It feels like people have become so cynical and you can’t express sympathy for someone if they don’t seem to deserve it.

It was more of a hypothetical. That’s why I said ‘if the letter even reached him.’ My point was he doesn’t care about you so don’t waste your time feeling ‘saddened’ for him.

As for feeling sorry for him because he’s ‘dropped into’ job at 73 once most people have retired - all those people have presumable worked for the 60 years before that! So I wouldn’t be breaking my heart about that either.

Oh no poor rich boy 😢 and his Mum was in her nineties it’s not a shock to him

Even though you are low yourself you have the empathy to feel concern for someone else. That’s what we should all do, if we lose compassion for others we lose our humanity.
I hope life gets easier for you and wish you all the very best.

Stop trying to guilt trip people over not feeling sorry for one of the richest most privileged men in the world.

And the Princess of Wales looks tired and drawn as well. The death of HMTQ must have been a hard blow.

Or maybe they’ve been watching Damp Wanksock in the jungle and they hope Mike won’t deck him.

I thought he looked older and sadder too

There is all that Harry Netflix/Book stuff going on in the background as well. Cannot help matters.

He left Diana for fag ash Lil who lives in her own gaff and Harry's done a runner and he's 74 tomorrow but still doesn't put toothpaste on his toothbrush and has sausage fingers.

... plus all the pens are ganging up on him and he can't behead people any more.

And his brother's a paedophile.

Have you watched the latest series of The Crown? I’m sure his advisors have & will have warned him how all the scandal will now resurface. No wonder he looks jaded!

I agree. I have a feeling he will pass the crown on quite soon ..something doesn't feel right

I think the loss of his parents will have a lot to do with that. He’s barely had time to mourn for his mother.

I will say again, I am a republican, I am about as far from being a supporter of Monarchy as an instution as a person can be.

But I am still a human being! I can look at someone and be saddened for what they have had to deal with on a personal level. His mum and dad were in their 90's when they died so no, no surprise. Should that mean he shouldnt be upset and grieve? My father was in his late 60's when his parents passed and he was hit so hard by it. My mother is same age as the king and still chokes up when she talks about her parents who she lost just a few years ago, should she not be upset because it was "hardly a surprise"? And yes he was "dropped into" the job, just as his mother was. It's not like he had a choice. I wouldnt want the job, its the dictionary definition of a gilded cage, as some of the comments on here demonstrate.
Sleep well in your glow of superiority.

Thank you for your kind words @Spinninggyro time will tell!

I'm mid way ? through it and i'm at the point of thinking enough is enough, on top of which they freely admit it's not an accurate portrayal.

I don't think there would be too many of us best pleased to see something like that of our families up on international screens for the world to pick over.

Most of MN hates the Royals so not sure how much helpful responses you'll receive

We all were used to an older lady as queen. A pensioner as king takes a bit of getting used to. I look at biden and trump and wondered why they couldn't put up someone younger though

I mean there is a whole section called ‘The Royal Family’ where you can fawn over them to your heart’s content. But yes, in the general AIBU section you might not have people falling over themselves to agree that they feel so saddened and sympathetic for someone doing some relatively easy tasks for an almost obscenely incredible amount of wealth and luxury.

That's a bizarre take on it. I've felt sad for lots of people in the news, for instance, and they don't even know I exist. Do you not feel sad for anyone unless they care about you?

This.

Forgive me if I now start to play the world's smallest violin.

He's waited too long for it, and he is a tarnished figure.

It would feel better if it were Wlliam and Kate, I keep thinking.

William also looks incredibly preoccupied and furrow-browed. Is it the Harry thing?

The 'pegging' rumour surfaced around a month after Meghan and Harry had been humiliated at the Jubilee, and I can't help feel suspicious that it might have been spread by their acolytes. Horrible if so.

Camilla never looks happy to me either, and she keeps shivering, in all weathers, like a chihuahua. Why is that?

The bloke's 74 years old tomorrow

He looks fine