TV show reveals Charles’s gay gag

A young Prince Charles allegedly joked, “Shall I go gay?”, because he was so unimpressed by potential royal brides, a documentary claims.

The revelation is made in Paxman On The Queen’s Children, which explores how Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward shaped the nation’s view of the royals – and lifts the lid on their love lives when they were young.

Presenter Jeremy Paxman interviews friends and insiders in the two- part documentary, which starts on Channel 5 at 9pm on Tuesday.

At one point, he discusses a newspaper story with Broderick Munro-Wilson, a friend of Charles, which was published at the time the prince was a student at Cambridge University.

It mentioned “potential brides” in Europe, all of whom the heir apparently showed little interest in.

Broderick says: “I thought the only possibility was Caroline of Monaco.”

He then reveals that Charles, once known as the Playboy Prince, joked: “Shall I go gay?”

Broderick adds: “We all roared with laughter and moved on.”

When asked about Anne, he says: “She wasn’t a stuffy old thing.

“I wouldn’t want anyone to think they were shrinking violets. Either of them.”

Paxman also reveals a little-known recording by a 14-year-old Coleen Nolan in which she serenades Prince Andrew, singing: “Andy, I love you.”