How Prince Charles Kept His Grandkids Happy During a Photoshoot

Photo credit: Getty / Chris Jackson
Photo credit: Getty / Chris Jackson

From Town & Country

Last week, Clarence House released a series of sweet portraits in honor of Prince Charles's 70th birthday. The whole family was all smiles in the photos-which is no easy feat considering three children under the age of 6 were involved.

But Prince Charles, the man of honor himself, was keeping his grandchildren, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, entertained throughout the shoot, reports photographer Chris Jackson.

"He is a very hands-on grandfather. He was holding hands with George and Charlotte, and bouncing Louis up and down for a long time," Jackson said in an exclusive interview with the Sunday Times magazine.

"George was very happy on the prince's knee. They have a great relationship that's a little more established, as George is a bit older," Jackson said.

The photographer also revealed that this portrait session was "the happiest I have seen [Charles]," and noted that the whole situation was "lovely chaos."

In the lead up to the Prince of Wales's milestone birthday, his son Prince William praised Charles as a grandfather, but also bemoaned the fact that he works so hard, and doesn't spend as much time with the kids as William would like.

"I would like him to have more time with the children," William said in the new BBC documentary Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70 . "Having more time with him at home would be lovely, and being able to you know play around with the grandchildren. When he’s there, he’s brilliant, but we need him there as much as possible."

In addition to Jackson's interview, the Sunday Times is also running a series of outtakes from the portrait session, including images of Charles working in the gardens at Highgrove, walking with his mother through Buckingham Palace, and another sweet photo of the Prince of Wales with his youngest grandson, Prince Louis.

See the full photo series over at thetimes.co.uk.

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