State visit: King Charles, Miss Sophie and the fine sense of humour
state visit
King Charles, Miss Sophie and the fine sense of humour
King Charles III was happy: no “Dinner for One”. photo
© Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa Pool/dpa
In a speech on Wednesday evening, the monarch shows that he has British humor. He puzzled his compatriots with a comment.
king Charles III. has shown himself to be a friend of fine British humor during his performances in Berlin – and sometimes left his own compatriots at a loss. For example, when he said with a smile at the beginning of his after-dinner speech at the state banquet in Bellevue Palace on Wednesday evening: “It’s nice of you that you came and didn’t leave me with a “Dinner for One” alone!”
The monarch was laughed at, at least from the German side. However, the British guests first had to find out what their king meant by that. ‘Cause on the island is this parody that’s in Germany is a TV New Year’s classic, largely unknown.
In his speech in the Bundestag on Thursday, Charles picked up the thread again: “In the last 50 years we have laughed a lot together, both at and with each other,” he said. “And while Miss Sophie’s ‘The same procedure as every year, James’ hopefully doesn’t give a correct picture of modern Britain, I know it is part of a German ‘happy new year’.” The amused deputies responded with laughter and applause.
There was also when Charles highlighted the centuries-old cultural ties between Germany and England. Both countries continued to admire each other’s cultures and draw inspiration from each other’s ideas. “Younger generations may not only think of Brahms or Byron, but also of the Beatles or Kraftwerk,” said the king, referring to the German composer Johannes Brahms and the English poet Lord Byron.
