Who Is King Charles' Bodyguard? What We Know About The King's Protector & Why He Went Viral
Protecting the king is one important job, so King Charles III's bodyguard certainly has his work cut out for him. Charles' personal bodyguard, whose name isn't known by the public, can often be seen sticking close to the king and scanning the crowds during royal appearances. Yet, despite his serious, focused demeanor and tendency to lay low and concentrate closely on his job, he's gathered a bit of a fan base of his own.
Being the center of attention is basically the opposite of Charles' personal bodyguard's job. Interestingly, though, it's the guard's commitment to this role that has earned him his fans. On September 8, 2022, Queen Elizabeth II died at the age of 96. At the time of her death, Charles immediately took over as the new monarch, and this major promotion gave him a lot more power and a lot more importance in the eyes of the public. This was when the world started seeing Charles' new bodyguard, and his unique, stoic vibes and impressive facial hair have earned him plenty of attention since then.
The guard encourages fans to live in the moment
In May 2023, King Charles III went on a walkabout in preparation for his coronation. This was another in a long line of events where the king had his bodyguard right by his side. Yet, this time, the guard had something to say to the public, and it made an impression on fans. As Charles shook hands and greeted fans, his bodyguard quietly urged members of the crowd to put down their phones. He even pushed on one person's phone who was taking a video of the king. While this may have seemed like an odd move, in reality, the guard requested that the fans "put phones down" for a good reason. "Enjoy the moment," he advised folks who got the opportunity to meet the king, per Metro.
While this quiet command gave the world a taste of this bodyguard's personality, other elements of the guard's presence have also attracted attention. Fans became interested in what appeared to be the guard's "gunbrella" — a term meaning a gun disguised as an umbrella derived from the "Kingsman" movies. Furthermore, the guard's white mustache and beard and close proximity to the king always make it easy for fans to spot him in the crowd.
He has gained a following on the internet
While King Charles III may have been the reason cameras were pointed toward his personal bodyguard, the guard himself sometimes steals the show as far as the internet is concerned. In May 2023, one video was posted to X, formerly Twitter, with the caption "King Charles' personal bodyguard is back" with crying emojis. One fan commented, "He's Boss." One other X user even went as far as to say, "I love him he needs to be the next James Bond... such an amazing guy.” Another asked the question we're all wondering: ”Does he give beard maintenance tips?" (via NDTV).
Like anyone rapidly reaching celeb status, Charles' personal bodyguard also inspired a few rumors that only acted to make his persona even more mysterious and exciting to fans. It's still unclear if he actually carries a "gunbrella" or if he uses fake hands to distract from his weapons, as another rumor suggested. Regardless of whether he has any Inspector Gadget-like items on his person while protecting the king, one X user called for "a moment of appreciation for King Charles's super-cool white-bearded bodyguard with whom we have become acquainted through the media these days." We're all hopeful that fans will have more opportunities for said moments of appreciation now that Charles is returning to public duties this summer.