King Charles jokes as he’s presented with an early birthday gift of kimchi in Koreatown – and asks ‘should I blow my head off?’
King Charles was immersed in Korean culture, including K Pop, this afternoon as he spent time at the New Malden Methodist Church in south-west London on Wednesday.
The king, 74, met with the Korean ambassador to Britain, Yeocheol Yoon, and community group members to hear about Korean culture and cuisine, and received an early birthday gift: a recipe book and some kimchi.
When presented with the traditional fermented vegetable dish, which can be spicy depending on the recipe, the monarch joked: “Should I blow my head off?”
New Malden, in south-west London, is and is home to one of the largest Korean communities in Europe nicknamed Koreatown, with approximately 20,000 South Koreans living there and in the surrounding areas.
Charles was greeted by the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Britain, Yeocheol Yoon, and the Mayor of the Royal Ward of Kingston, Councilor Diane White.
King Charles appeared cheerful upon his arrival at the New Malden Methodist Church in south-west London on Wednesday
The king, 74, spoke with the Korean ambassador to Britain, Yeocheol Yoon, and community group members to hear about Korean culture and cuisine
The king stopped to talk to a woman outside the New Malden Methodist Church in London
The king met with representatives from the Korean Residents Society, the Korean Restaurant and Supermarkets Association and local faith leaders within the New Malden Methodist Church.
He asked questions about Korea and listened to the London Korean Hummingbirds Choir sing a traditional song while a dancer performed.
Charles was also interested in how a man escaped North Korea and started a life in Britain.
Timothy Cho, 35, who moved to Manchester in 2008, said: ‘He asked me if I had crossed the border into China. I told him that I had crossed the border twice and that I had been imprisoned four times during that trip.
‘He looked very serious. He asked, “How did you do that?” He wanted to hear more. It took quite a while for him to move on.”
The King visited the community ahead of the state visit of the President of the Republic of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol and the First Lady, Mrs. Kim Keon Hee, later this month
The royal family beamed as he waved to the crowds that lined the street to see him
The royal family shook hands with the audience before entering the church
Many royal fans lined the streets in the rain to greet the king in south-west London
Charles received a host of gifts when he arrived at New Malden Methodist Church
Yoon Yeocheol presented Charles with a slew of gifts when he arrived at the Methodist Church
King Charles signed the guest book when he arrived at New Malden Methodist Church
The king also received kimchi as a gift before his birthday on November 14 and joked: “Will this blow my head off?”
Charles also visited the nearby Cake & Bingsoo cafe, where he received an Earl Gray tea flavored cake as an early birthday present.
While at the cafe, the king asked about K-pop music and wanted to hear more about the genre.
Sunny Lee, 27, who met Charles, said: “He talked about how he got to see the traditional performance and how it was a shame we didn’t get to see a real K-pop performance live as well.”
Before leaving the area, Charles also visited the New Malden War Memorial and met representatives of the Royal British Legion ahead of Remembrance Sunday.
The King visited the community ahead of the state visit of the President of the Republic of Korea Yoon Suk Yeol and the First Lady, Mrs. Kim Keon Hee, later this month.
Yoon Suk Yeol, accompanied by Ms Kim Keon Hee, will arrive in Britain on November 20.
The King and Queen will formally welcome the President and First Lady to the Royal Pavilion on Horse Guards Parade.
After a private lunch at Buckingham Palace, His Majesty invites the President and First Lady to a special exhibition in the Picture Gallery of objects from the Royal Collection relating to the Republic of Korea.
While the President and the First Lady will then participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Korean War Memorial, marking the 70th anniversary of the end of the war.
King Charles was greeted by schoolchildren dressed in traditional Korean clothing
King Charles greeted people waiting in the rain to shake hands with the royal family
The King beamed as he spoke to the crowd before entering New Malden Methodist Church
The king looked dapper in a navy blue suit which he teamed with a white shirt and blue tie
The king arrived and was greeted by children in traditional Korean clothing
King Charles arrived at New Malden Methodist Church, south-west London, to meet the Korean community
A cute little girl greeted the king along with her classmates when he arrived at the church
He wrapped himself warm from the cold weather in a navy blue coat and protected himself from the rain under an umbrella when he arrived
It comes after King Charles and Queen Camilla took a trip to the ballet following the State Opening of Parliament.
The King and Queen, 76, visited the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, to attend a performance of Don Quixote.
After the performance, they walked backstage to meet the cast and ask them about their grueling routines.
While Camilla dazzled in a mauve floor-length lace dress, the king looked sharp in a suit and tie.
Their Royal Highnesses shook hands with cast members and heard about their rehearsal schedules – prompting the King to tell a ballet dancer that her schedule was “quite demanding, isn’t it?”
The production of Don Quixote was created to celebrate the schools and groups in Britain who work with the Royal Opera House.
Also in the audience were hundreds of NHS workers and a choral group of Ukrainian singers.
While meeting cast members, the King and Queen were also introduced to the show’s producer Carlos Acosta and Sir Lloyd Dorfman, Chairman of the Royal House of Opera.
The trip to the ballet followed a busy day for Charles and Camilla, who performed the State Opening of Parliament at the House of Lords on Tuesday morning.
Charles addressed MPs and peers in the first King’s Speech for more than 70 years and his first as monarch.
He was joined by Queen Camilla and his sister Princess Anne, 73, who reprized her role as Gold Stick-in-waiting, which she performed at the coronation in May.
As he walked into the House, the King was flanked by several Pages of Honor who helped arrange his robes as he sat on the throne.
Meanwhile, the Queen looked elegant in her Bruce Oldfield couture gown, which she paired with her late mother-in-law’s George IV State Diadem crown and necklace.
The crown, which Queen Elizabeth also wore during her first State Opening of Parliament, has been passed from monarch to monarch since the coronation of George IV in 1821 and is only worn on official occasions.
It is only worn on official occasions, such as the state opening of parliament.