Aussie sisters recall tradition that left young King Charles speechless
Aussie sisters Jane Tozer and Amanda Boxshall have had the rare privilege of forming a closer bond with King Charles than most, having hosted the young royal during his studies in Australia.
In 1966, at the age of 16, King Charles spent a year in Australia attending Timbertop outdoor adventure school, a remote campus that forms part of Geelong Grammar School.
He stayed at Jane and Amanda's family farm, the two sisters then aged 11 and six, got to share six months of their lives with him.
The royal family's security chose their dairy farm as it was an easy place to keep the then Prince Charles secure, and had enough room for his personal staff.
On Monday, the sisters recalled their experience of living with the royal to Sunrise hosts Nat Barr and Matt Shirvington.
They said that he was a "normal kid" but there was one family tradition that shocked him - their family eating together.
“Mum and dad and the farm workers all used to just sit at one table and King Charles would come past and he couldn’t believe that people all sit together — that families sit and enjoy meals together,” Amanda said.
The sisters also said that while they were briefed by the King's security prior to him moving in, they "didn't really understand the whole concept of being royal."
“He was just another person on our farm that we chatted to and had a swim with. But he was very friendly. He always had his security with him ... (but) he was really friendly, very curious," Jane said.
“He would ask a lot of questions, like how did this and that work? Can I help you do this? Can I do that?”
They also said the King liked the outdoors - a passion he still holds to this day.
“(We would go) horse-riding, of course. He’s very into horses ... and just doing kid things ... it was just like this whole new family had moved into our farm life. It was a unique experience.”
The sisters managed to catch up with King Charles during his royal tour in 2018.
“He remembered mum and dad and asked how they were and all of those sorts of things,” Jane said.
“We laughed about all the things we did on the farm. So, he remembered everything. We didn’t really expect that he would remember all those things. But he did. So yeah, it was part of history.”
Reflecting on Charles' last day staying the family, they said while they "were very sad" he had to leave, the family commemorated the moment with a portrait together.
"Mum made us all beautiful new outfits and he said, ‘no, I want you as you really are’. So, we had to go and get our farm clothes back on. But he, he’s just such a nice person and very funny,” Jane said.
Images: Seven