Like typical vacationers, Prince Charles also buys souvenirs for his family while he's out of the country. And like typical shoppers, sometimes he forgets to bring enough cash. During his tour of the South Pacific earlier this year, the Prince of Wales thoughtfully picked out gifts for his grandchildren, but he was short on change.
The shopping slip-up has a moment in the upcoming BBC documentary, Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70, according to Hello!. The broadcast is one of the many celebrations honoring His Royal Highness' 70th birthday, which takes place on November 14.
Charles' souvenir hiccup occurred when he was Port Vila, Vanuatu in April. As he browsed through items in a local market, he found carved wooden pigs that he considered getting for Prince George, 5, and Princess Charlotte, 3.
'I’m wondering whether to buy a pig or not,' Charles asked his entourage in the documentary, per Hello!. 'They’re rather nice. Children always love those don’t they, pigs?'
Luckily, a member of Charles' team spotted him for the market shopping spree. 'In the background, his protection officer and private secretary had to leap into action on his behalf,' the narrator in Prince, Son and Heir said in a clip.
The next in line for the throne is a thoughtful gift-giver. He previously revealed that he planted a group of trees when Prince George was born as a long-lasting present.
'This is George's wood,' he explains in the documentary, per People. 'As I get older, all I really long for is to plant trees. I hope it will be quite amusing for George, as they grow up, and he grows up.'
Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. She was previously an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There is a 75 percent chance she's listening to Lorde right now.
