King Charles attended the London premiere of Gladiator II at the ODEON in Leicester Square on Wednesday without Queen Camilla, who opted to skip the event to continue her recovery from a chest infection.
While no other royals stepped in for Camilla, many were curious about the woman accompanying the King as he arrived by car.
The woman spotted in the backseat with the monarch is believed to be the King’s Assistant Private Secretary. She works closely with Their Majesties’ principal Private Secretary, Sir Clive Alderton, who has been part of Charles and Camilla’s team since 2015.
According to the royal household’s website, the Private Secretary’s Office serves as the main advisory body to the King on constitutional, governmental, and political matters, including issues related to the 14 realms where he is Head of State and the 54 Commonwealth nations. It also provides policy guidance on his role within the Church of England and the Church of Scotland.
The premiere took place on the eve of King Charles’ 76th birthday, but he kept up his busy schedule.
On Thursday, he inaugurated the first two Coronation Food Hubs, one in-person in Deptford, south-east London, and another virtually in Knowsley, Merseyside. During the visit, schoolchildren presented him with a homemade birthday card and sang for him.
Charles also attended a “surplus food festival,” showcasing dishes made from food that would otherwise go to waste.
He engaged with children from Peckham’s Rye Oak Primary School, who are set to benefit from the new food hub, and asked about their favorite foods and school lunches.
When asked if he planned to take it easy for his birthday, the King responded with a smile: “Not quite.”
