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This Morning star and royal enthusiast Gyles Brandreth has shared what the late Prince Philip really thought of his eldest son Charles, who is now the King. Following Queen Elizabeth II's death, he took over the throne as the TV presenter and author explained what the father and son's relationship was really like. Writing in his Daily Mail column back in 2023, Gyles said: "I am lucky enough to have met King Charles III. I am honoured to be attending his Coronation. I admire him hugely, but for many years, I think I got him wrong. The reason? I knew his father - Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh - and I accepted the father's view of the son. And Prince Philip's view of Prince Charles was not always generous.

He added: "Later, with the Duke's involvement, I came to write his biography. Over several years I spent many hours with him and I noticed that whenever Prince Charles's name came up, the father would have a playful dig at the son, making small jokes at his expense, disparaging Charles as a bit of a wimp, deploring his extravagance and mocking some of his views.

"I suppose, as I got to know Prince Philip, my view of the Prince of Wales became coloured by his."

Gyles claimed that Patricia Mountbatten, Philip's first cousin and one of Charles's godparents, claimed that Philip "wanted to toughen up his son - and his son is very sensitive."

She also reportedly said that the "Duke of Edinburgh loved his son and admired him, too, but she said she was 'equally certain' he never told him so."

He also said that Charles was a romantic, whereas he was pragmatic. Gyles shared: "Our new King is indeed a Romantic. He is a visionary and an idealist.

"He loves poetry and music. He loves art and nature. He wants to live in a kinder, more just, more caring world. But he is a pragmatist, too. He knows that to turn dreams into reality calls for planning, organisation, commitment and (as often as not) a lot of cash."