He’s shaken hands with thousands of dignitaries over the years – but possibly never with a life-sized cardboard gorilla puppet.
Still, the King took it all in his stride as he watched as he watched a performance of life-sized figurines at a climate finance reception.
The monarch, 76, spent an hour at the Lancaster House reception, meeting industry experts, indigenous, government and business leaders who had earlier attended a Defra event called Nature Action – before later being snapped at the King’s Trust Awards at Buckingham Palace.
There, among the VIPs invited were Hollywood star George and Amal Clooney, who looked to be in good spirits as they chatted with other attendees.
Also mingling with the royal was make-up mogul Charlotte Tilbury, who looked to enjoy a spirited chat with the royal, and national treasure Dame Joanna Lumley.
Actor Joseph Fiennes, presenter Declan Donnelly, Fearne Cotton, Rosie Huntingdon-Whiteley and members of girl group the Sugababes were also present at the glitzy reception.
The star-studded reception greeted a beaming Charles after he had appeared to enjoy the performance by The Herds, a group of life-sized animal puppets operated by artists at the event earlier this afternoon.
The contraptions slowly made their way down a staircase in the Grand Hall before the Gorilla moved towards the King and held out its arm.
The public art group are travelling from the Congo Basin to the Artic Circle, to raise awareness of humanity’s bond with the natural world and the impact of climate change.
They have just arrived in London ahead of a series of performances at landmarks throughout the capital this weekend.
Earlier, the King was met by a handful of government officials including Mona Ainu’u, Minister of Natural Resources on the South Pacific island of Niue.
Ms Aimu’u gave him a jar of local honey made at a newly created bee sanctuary for the Pacific, telling him: ‘We heard that you love honey in your tea.’
The King chuckled: ‘Where did you hear that?’ before quoting Dame Barbara Cartland.
‘She always said “a spoonful of honey a day keeps you more than lovable”‘, he said. ‘Do you remember that?’
He also told Ms Aimu’u that while he’s ‘never managed to get to Niue’, he will ‘keep trying’ to travel there.
Among others he met was Marina Silva, Brazilian minister of the environment and climate change.
‘Give my regards to your president,’ he told her. ‘I know you are working so hard on Cop30.’
Later, another member of the Brazil delegation told the monarch about preparations for the annual climate conference, which will be held in Belém, Brazil, in November, telling him: ‘We would be happy to have you there.’
The King suggested he would love to go but added: ‘It’s fitting it all in.’
Charles also met Sabrina Elba, who is married to actor Idris Elba and is a UN Goodwill Ambassador for the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
It was announced last week that the King has teamed up with Elba for a Netflix documentary celebrating the 50th anniversary of the King’s Trust.
Mrs Elba told the King: ‘Your documentary has been announced, so congratulations!’
Charles asked: ‘Which documentary?’ prompting Mrs Elba to add: ‘Your documentary with Idris!’
She said afterwards that he admitted he lost track of them all.
Chatting to Oliver Vince and Glen Gowers, co-founders of biotech company Basecamp Research, the King said he was keen ‘try and mobilise the pharmaceutical industry’ because such work was ‘in their interests’.
It comes as earlier, the King was also praised for his commitment to drawing by stars of the arts world as they celebrated 25 years of his Royal Drawing School.
Dame Tracey Emin said the country was ‘lucky to have’ a monarch who cared so much, while eclectic potter Grayson Perry described him as ‘very special’.
The pair both sported what appeared to be the fashionable footwear of the night at St James’s Palace – plastic Crocs.
While Emin sported dark coloured footwear, Perry naturally sported a brightly-painted pair of iconic clogs to offset his bright orange dress.
The palace was packed with renowned artists, creative figures and alumni of the school founded by Charles, 76, as Prince of Wales.
To mark the occasion a special anniversary exhibition has been created ‘The Power of Drawing: Marking 25 Years of the Royal Drawing School’ which includes works by 50 eminent artists and alumni from the school’s twenty five year history including Emin and David Hockney.
Another star exhibit is one of the King’s own drawings, a preliminary sketch of Highgrove from 2000.
The free exhibition will go on display at the Royal Drawing School in Shoreditch from July 1- 26.
