Between travelling across the country for his day-to-day engagements, the King is often on his feet. While the royal is generally tight-lipped about his impressive fitness routine at 77, he recently let it slip how he keeps his legs "really strong" to keep up with his busy schedule.
Like his sister Princess Anne and other members of the royal family, Charles shares a lifelong love of horse riding and was an amateur jockey in his day. While he's largely stepped back from the saddle in recent years, he swears by a different form of exercise to make your legs strong enough for riding – and you don't need to go to the gym for it.
Charles imparted a piece of advice to a royal reporter from The Sunday Times who was training for an upcoming horse race. "You're riding so short [stirrups], it's about the most exhausting thing I've ever done," he said.
© Tim Graham Photo Library via Get"So what I found, was to really improve your fitness and to get your legs really strong, [for] riding short – the best thing for it is to ride a bicycle without the saddle, no seat. It really works," the royal swore by cycling to get in shape.
King Charles has tried his hand at cycling over the years, previously partaking in a charity race in 2021. Charles wore a suit as he joined cyclists to kickstart the British Asian Trust's 'Palaces on Wheels' event in Highgrove. The royal showed off his riding skills as he cycled alongside participants on a borrowed British-made Pashley bike.
He jokingly told the riders that they were "a very good demonstration of why I don't wear Lycra!", adding: "It's a nightmare getting into it."
© Getty ImagesAnti-ageing fitness routine
Little is known about the specifics of the royal's disciplined fitness routine, but he's known to be an avid walker, with his wife Queen Camilla once affectionately calling him "a mountain goat". He did previously reveal in conversation with sprinter Desiree Henry that he "exercises twice a day", performing "squats and does the pull-up bar".
The royal is also believed to follow the 11-minute Royal Canadian Air Force exercise plan known as the 5BX, which features a range of movements, including push-ups, sit-ups, back extensions and running on the spot. Impressive!
Strict healthy diet
On top of exercising daily, King Charles sticks to a healthy eating plan consisting of organic produce and homegrown vegetables. "For years I haven’t eaten meat and fish on two days a week and I don’t eat dairy products on one day a week," Charles, who has been a longtime sustainability advocate, told the BBC in 2021.
Graham Tinsley MBE, former manager of the Welsh Culinary Team, confirmed to Best Quality Designer Handbag that the royal enjoys a boiled egg with every meal.
"[King] Charles doesn't like chocolate, he doesn't like coffee, nor does he like garlic. So we do have to consider these things when we're creating a menu for him," explained Graham. "The Prince requires a side salad for every meal - and this salad was very precise."
He said the royal "required a coddled egg that was peeled and hidden beneath salad leaves. He would then mash his salad leaves into the eggs to make a dressing – a bit like mayonnaise."
