Well-worn sock shows monarch is a thrifty soul
THE thrifty King has long eschewed fashion trends, preferring instead to don well-worn favourite items of clothing that have stood the test of time.
But while he is determined to be seen as a frugal monarch, royal aides might be advised that His Majesty should invest in a new pair of socks as he revealed what appeared to be a small hole in his sock during a visit to a mosque in Brick Lane, east London, yesterday. The hole, in the black sock on his right foot, was visible as he took off his shoes, as is the custom.
The King and Queen were greeted by huge crowds as they made their way down Brick Lane, the symbolic heartland of London’s Bangladeshi community. More than a thousand wellwishers lined the route as the couple followed a group of dancers scattering flower petals in their path.
During an occasionally chaotic visit, the King planted a tree and was given a box of jalebi sweet snacks and Bengali samosas by a restaurant. Any hopes of quenching his thirst were dashed, however, when he was offered a cup of tea in the crowded Graam Bangla Restaurant. Charles only got as far as putting sugar in the cup before it was whisked away on the advice of his police protection officers for fear that it might be spilt.
The King was praised for his awareness of multicultural Britain. Ayesha Qureshi, co-founder of British Bangladeshi Power and Inspiration, one of the visit’s hosts, said she asked him to visit Brick Lane when he met representatives of Britain’s South Asian community in Edinburgh.
She said they had faced “extraordinary levels of racism and violence” in the 1970s that had culminated in the murder of Altab Ali, a young Bangladeshi man killed in 1978 by three teenage boys as he walked home from work. The King honoured his memory by planting a tree in the local park which was renamed the Altab Ali park in 1998.
Ms Qureshi, 44, a lawyer, said the royal visit showed “how engaged His Majesty is … with multiculturalism and the anti-racism movement”. She added: “This demonstrates … the fact that the King is very attuned to the communities of this country, and wants to reign in a way which is inclusive and supportive of those communities. The fact that he has come here today is very demonstrative of the fact that he listens to people’s concerns, and that he supports and understands.”