London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Feb 10, 2026

The many jobs of King Charles: From weather man to voice of Daleks

The many jobs of King Charles: From weather man to voice of Daleks

Charles has had a life less ordinary but has rarely been paid for his moonlighting

He has never received a P45, but Charles III has possibly had more one-off jobs than Homer Simpson.

Althought King Charles is preparing for his coronation, he has somehow found time to moonlight as an announcer for Transport for London and Network Rail.

Alongside his wife Camilla, the monarch’s voice is sounding out across all 2,570 UK rail stations and the 270 London Underground stations over the weekend.

The King greets passengers and passes on the famous instruction of “mind the gap”.

The announcements can be heard on platforms from Friday until Monday, making it another appearance in a long line of special one-offs for the King.

From weather presenter to EastEnders extra, here are ten of the greatest walk-ons, phone-ins and pop-ups from Charles.

Charles and Camilla visit Tanzania


Helper of the Cows

His majesty is used to fancy titles but nothing tops a name the Masai tribe in Tanzania honoured him with when the then-Prince visited in 2011. Around 500 turned out to welcome him to the East African community and they gave him the honorary title of… Helper of the Cows. The name was said to reflect the Royal’s ownership of cattle and it literally translates as "the one who makes cows cry". Camilla, meanwhile, was called Koto Engera - a translation of her name.

Man of the woods


Charles has campaigned for the preservation of rainforests and would have been buoyed to hear, in 2012, that a frog type that was feared extinct was actually still alive. Dr Luis A Coloma discovered the species in Ecuador and named it Hyloscirtus princecharlesi - also known as Prince Charles stream tree frog. Inevitably, jokes followed about Charles being the real Frog Prince… perhaps not one to mention to Camilla if she is in a bad mood.

Charles painting in Paro, Bhutan, while on a royal visit in 1998


Artist


The King is known as a writer but also has a talent with a paintbrush. Buckingham Palace says the King had a watercolour displayed in the Royal Academy’s 1987 summer exhibition, after it was submitted anonymously.

Soap actor


Just last year, Charles III finally fulfilled what must have been a lifelong dream, to meet Danny Dyer and the gang in a cameo in EastEnders. Little acting is required from the Prince and Camilla, who meet overwhelmed locals, much like they do every day in real life.

Ice diver


Some things are best only done once, and for Charles, he wasn’t too keen to try ice diving a second time after an attempt in Canada in 1975. “Mercy me, that was bloody cold,” he told cameras after stepping out from the freezing water.

Charles played polo until 2005 when he was well into his fifties


Weather forecaster


Everybody has their own interests in watching a weather forecast but Charles was looking out for number one while reading it on a visit to the BBC in 2012. “There will be potential for a few flurries [of snow] over Balmoral,” he said, adding: “Who the hell wrote this script?”

Voice of the Daleks


On another visit to a production studio, Charles was followed around by an imposing Dalek from the set of Doctor Who. The man himself then spoke into a voice changer to replicate the villainous tones of the show’s primary antagonists. “Exterminate!” Charles said, “Exterminate!”

The crown today. World domination tomorrow?

Footballer


Going back a few years, Charles captained his school football team. During a season that pales even against Chelsea’s recent form, the side scored four and shipped 82. “Prince Charles seldom drove himself as hard as his ability and position demanded,” a school report said at the time, according to the Guardian. He later excelled at polo.

The King meets Noble, the horse gifted to him by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, at The Royal Mews in Windsor


Art collector


Charles’ talents with the paintbrush only went so far. A book by Tom Bower said that he wanted to swap one of his own paintings with one by Lucien Freud. “I don’t want one of your rotten paintings,” the artist reportedly replied.

Horse seller


A former polo enthusiast, Charles might have moved on from his equine love in selling his mother’s horses after her death for a reported £2.3 million in an auction.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Beijing Brands UK Hong Kong Visa Expansion ‘Despicable and Reprehensible’ After Jimmy Lai Sentencing
Tesco Chief Warns UK Is ‘Sleepwalking’ Toward a Joblessness Crisis
Trump’s ‘Act of Great Stupidity’ Comment on UK Chagos Deal Reverberates Through Diplomacy and Strategy
New U.S. filings say Jeffrey Epstein repaid Les Wexner one hundred million dollars after theft allegation
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick acknowledges 2012 visit to Jeffrey Epstein’s private island as lawmakers scrutinise past ties
Helsing and Stark Defence loitering-munition drones and Germany’s race to industrialise battlefield autonomy
UK orders deletion of Courtsdesk court-data archive, reigniting the fight over who controls public justice records
UK Police Review Fresh Claims Involving Prince Andrew as Senior Royals Respond to Epstein Files
Keir Starmer’s Premiership Faces Unprecedented Strain as Epstein Fallout Deepens
Starmer Vows to Stay in Office as UK Government Faces Turmoil After Epstein Fallout
China and UK Signal Tentative Reset with Commitment to Steadier, Professionally Managed Relations
UK Confirms Imminent Increase in ETA Fee to £20 as Entry Rules Tighten
UK Signals Possible Seizure of Russia-Linked ‘Shadow Fleet’ Tanker in Escalation of Sanctions Enforcement
Epstein Scandal Piles Unprecedented Pressure on UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Leadership
UK’s ‘Most Romantic Village’ Celebrates Valentine’s Day and Explores the Festival’s Rich History
The Implications of Expanding Voting Rights to Non-EU Foreign Residents in France
Ghislaine Maxwell to Testify Before US Congress on February 9
Al.com Acquired by Crypto.com Founder for $70 Million
Apple iPhone Lockdown Mode blocks FBI data access in journalist device seizure
Belgium: Man Charged with Rape After Faking Payment to Sex Worker
KPMG Urges Auditor to Relay AI Cost Savings
US and Iran to Begin Nuclear Talks in Oman
Winklevoss-Led Gemini to Slash a Quarter of Jobs and Exit European and Australian Markets
Canada Opens First Consulate in Greenland Amid Rising Geopolitical Tensions
China unveils plans for a 'Death Star' capable of launching missile strikes from space
NASA allows astronauts to take smartphones on upcoming missions to capture special moments.
Trump administration to launch TrumpRx.gov for direct drug purchases
Investigation Launched at Winter Olympics Over Ski Jumpers Injecting Hyaluronic Acid
U.S. State Department Issues Urgent Travel Warning for Citizens to Leave Iran Immediately
Wall Street Erases All Gains of 2026; Bitcoin Plummets 14% to $63,000
Epstein Case Documents Reignite Global Scrutiny of Political and Business Elites
Eighty-one-year-old man in the United States fatally shoots Uber driver after scam threat
UK Royal Family Faces Intensifying Strain as Epstein-Linked Revelations Rock the Institution
Political Censorship: French Prosecutors Raid Musk’s X Offices in Paris
AI Invented “Hot Springs” — Tourists Arrived and Were Shocked
Tech Mega-Donors Power Trump-Aligned Fundraising Surge to $429 Million Ahead of 2026 Midterms
UK Pharma Watchdog Rules Sanofi Breached Industry Code With RSV Vaccine Claims Against Pfizer
Melania Documentary Opens Modestly in UK with Mixed Global Box Office Performance
Starmer Arrives in Shanghai to Promote British Trade and Investment
Harry Styles, Anthony Joshua and Premier League Stars Among UK’s Top Taxpayers
New Epstein Files Include Images of Former Prince Andrew Kneeling Over Unidentified Woman
Starmer Urges Former Prince Andrew to Testify Before US Congress About Epstein Ties
Starmer Extends Invitation to Japan’s Prime Minister After Strategic Tokyo Talks
Skupski and Harrison Clinch Australian Open Men’s Doubles Title in Melbourne
DOJ Unveils Millions of Epstein Files, Fueling Global Scrutiny of Elite Networks
France Begins Phasing Out Zoom and Microsoft Teams to Advance Digital Sovereignty
China Lifts Sanctions on British MPs and Peers After Starmer Xi Talks in Beijing
Trump Nominates Kevin Warsh as Fed Chair to Reorient U.S. Monetary Policy Toward Pro-Growth Interest Rates
AstraZeneca Announces £11bn China Investment After Scaling Back UK Expansion Plans
Starmer and Xi Forge Warming UK-China Ties in Beijing Amid Strategic Reset
×