King Charles III personally sought out a group of disappointed fishermen to apologise after discovering they had been forced off a prized stretch of the River Thurso so he could enjoy a day of fly-fishing.
The 77-year-old monarch, who is currently in Scotland for the official opening of the seventh session of the Scottish Parliament, reportedly took time out from his royal duties over the weekend to fish near the Castle of Mey.
However, a group of insurance brokers, who had each paid £4,000 (about AUD$7,600) for a fishing trip on the River Thurso, were unexpectedly asked to vacate what they described as “the best bit of the River Thurso” ahead of the King’s arrival.
According to The Scottish Mail reporter Harriet Kean, the awkward situation was caused by a double booking on one section of the river, with organisers scrambling to relocate the group before Charles arrived.
Although the fishermen admitted they were initially far from impressed, they said the King’s reaction after learning what had happened completely changed their opinion.
According to one of the anglers, Charles was “mortified” when he discovered the mix-up and made a point of visiting the group’s accommodation the following day to apologise in person.
“We were all jolly put out when we were told to relocate immediately. I’m sure I was just on the verge of catching a salmon,” the fisherman said.
“Still, we were awfully cheered up when the King arrived at our lodgings the following day. He was so apologetic and charming – he would have made a good insurance broker.”
The fisherman added: “If I had to toss up between catching that salmon and meeting the King, it would be the latter any day.”
Another source, a member of the esteemed Flyfishers’ Club – of which the King is a popular patron – said Charles has long earned the respect of anglers through his environmental work.
“We can certainly forgive some rod-shuffling for all he’s done to save our rivers,” the source said.
King Charles has been a passionate fly-fisherman since childhood, having learnt the pastime from his late parents Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip before later teaching the skill to his own sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.
Over the decades, the monarch has fished in rivers around the world, including a visit to Far North Queensland as a 17-year-old in 1966. However, he is said to be most at home casting a line on the River Dee at the Balmoral Estate in Scotland.
The King and Queen Camilla are expected to return to Balmoral for their annual summer break in August, where they are likely to be joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales, Princess Anne and Sir Timothy Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and several other members of the royal family.
Meanwhile, despite earlier reports that Prince Harry planned to bring Meghan Markle and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, to the UK in the coming weeks, it is understood the Duke of Sussex is now reconsidering the trip after his reported request for taxpayer-funded police protection was denied.
The Sussexes had been expected to travel to Birmingham for an Invictus Games event, with hopes the children could also spend time with their grandfather, who is still battling an undisclosed form of cancer.
It would have marked the first time Archie and Lilibet had seen the King in person in four years, with Charles reportedly offering to accommodate the family at an unnamed royal residence.
However, concerns over security are understood to have cast doubt over the visit.
“[The duke] is looking at every option to try and get the family here safely and keep them safe when they’re on the ground,” a source told Sky News.
“If he can find a way to do that he will. The hope is they can meet their grandfather, but there is no way that can happen if they are chased by paparazzi wherever they go from the moment they step off the plane.
“He won’t put his children through that.”