King Charles used to practice holding audiences with the prime minister.
King Charles practiced Prime Minister meetings
The 73-year-old monarch - who took the throne last Thursday (08.09.22) following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth - used to meet with David Cameron to get to grips with "how to conduct" the weekly meetings, and the former Conservative leader doesn't think the former Prince of Wales will have any problems when it comes to that part of his new role.
David - who was Prime Minister from 2010 to 2016 - said: “I had audiences with Prince Charles when Queen Elizabeth II was on the throne because he wanted to start thinking about how to conduct those audiences.
“From what I saw he will be brilliant at that job. Brilliant at listening, brilliant at asking questions, giving wise advice and sage counsel. This has probably been the longest apprenticeship in history.”
Charles was famously criticised for writing to ministers and politicians to lobby about issues he was passionate about, including herbal medicines, the design of new hospitals, and bovine tuberculosis.
David insisted it was "entirely right" for the now-king to have raised the subjects, stressing Charles never "tried to influence [him] improperly" and criticising the fact his memos were made public in 2015 after a long legal battle.
Speaking on 'Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg', he said: “I never felt he tried to influence me improperly in any way.
"I think the heir to the throne has a perfect right to have interest in issues like the environment, preserving wildlife, his interest in the built environment.
"Many of the causes he took up back in the 60s and 70s might have looked rather fringe but he picked his subject superbly, became an expert in things like climate change and the environment long before politicians.
“I think it is entirely right that the heir to the throne can discuss things with politicians. Why not? I don’t think there should be any public concern about that and my view is the letters should have remained private.”
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