Share your memories of King Charles

King Charles has encountered literally thousands of Aussies during his 16 visits Down Under. Ahead of his coronation, we’re asking readers to share their favourite memories of meeting him.

Charles and Camilla on the Gold Coast, April 2018. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

King Charles has visited Australia 16 times and had some incredible formative experiences here, starting with the two terms he completed at Geelong Grammar’s Timbertop campus in 1966, when he was 17.

At the end of his most recent tour he said: “I love Australia and Australians and I love coming here” – and he’s shown an understanding about the realities of life Down Under, making substantial and sometimes secret donations to charities in the wake of some of our worst natural disasters, including the Black Summer bushfires.

Over the course of his many visits, he has interacted with literally thousands of Aussies – from dignitaries and celebrities, to bikini-clad model Jane Priest, who surprised the then 29-year-old prince by running up and giving him a kiss as he jogged along the waterline of Perth’s Cottesloe Beach in 1979.

Jane Priest kisses Prince Charles in the surf at Cottesloe Beach, Perth, March 1979.

Enjoying a beer at the Richmond Arms Hotel, Tasmania, November 2012. Picture: AAP Image/Matthew Newton

The move made headlines around the world, and its cheekiness seemed to capture something authentic about how many Aussies feel about the royal family.

Ahead of King Charles’s coronation on May 6, News Corp is seeking to uncover more great stories and photos about His Majesty’s interactions with everyday Australians.

Meeting crowds of fans on King William Street, Adelaide, April 1981.

Logan Thomas, 9, meets the then Prince Charles at Larrakeyah Barracks, Darwin, 2018.

Did you, or a member of your family, ever meet Charles during one of his visits? Was there a funny story connected to the encounter? Did you take a photo of your meeting with the King?

We’d love to hear your stories, and see your photos.

Originally published as Share your memories of King Charles