When Texas tourists Angel and Arianna Salinas planned their first European adventure, they probably expected a few clichés—Big Ben, some fish and chips, maybe a rainy stroll through London. What they didn’t expect was an impromptu encounter with the actual King of England, casually strolling out of a church like he was just another guy heading to Pret a Manger.
Royalty, Rain, and Texas Twang
On December 4, King Charles, 76, interrupted his packed schedule of waving, ribbon-cutting, and fighting off the British tabloids to mingle with tourists outside St. Peter’s Church in Notting Hill. His reason for being there? A visit to the Disasters Emergency Committee—because nothing says “royal dedication” like tackling global crises and then stopping to chat with tourists from Texas.
In fan-filmed footage, the King is seen apologizing profusely to the crowd for blocking their sidewalk, which is probably the most British thing anyone could say while simultaneously being the King of the sidewalk. He then asked the gathering of soggy fans, “Are you all living around here?”—as if a group containing Texans, Spaniards, and Japanese visitors just happened to move to London for its weather.
When someone called out, “We’re from Texas!” King Charles lit up with what can only be described as royal astonishment. “Texas!” he exclaimed, as though they’d said they were from Mars. “I don’t believe it. Are you having an enjoyable time in London?”
The answer, of course, was an enthusiastic “yes,” because when a King asks you a question, you don’t say, “Well, the Tube was delayed, and our Airbnb smells like fish.”
“The Most British Thing Ever”
Angel Salinas later described the encounter to the Daily Mail as “just like in a movie.” He went on to declare, “This is the most British thing that could ever happen in the U.K.: the King just casually wanders down to say hello. It’s amazing!” Clearly, Charles has set a high bar for future interactions with monarchy—good luck getting this kind of service from the Burger King.
The Salinas family, who had been waiting in the rain for an hour (because nothing says “tourist determination” like standing on a damp London street in December), deemed the experience “absolutely worth it.”
The best part? The King even wished them a Merry Christmas before departing, as though the whole encounter wasn’t already ripped from the Hallmark Channel’s Royal Meet-Cute lineup.
Royal Cancer Treatment? No Problem. Casual Chat With Strangers? Sure!
Lest anyone think King Charles is slacking, it’s worth noting that he had a full day of royal duties before this unexpected tourist interaction. Between recovering from cancer treatments and hosting a state visit from Qatar, one might assume the King would be too tired for street-level diplomacy. But Charles is nothing if not committed to multitasking—saving the world one charity meeting at a time and still finding the energy to ask Texans about their vacation plans.
What the Tourists Didn’t Know
While the Salinas family marveled at the King’s down-to-earth demeanor, they probably didn’t realize they were interrupting his rigorous schedule of avoiding other royal events. Charles and Camilla recently skipped Kate Middleton’s Christmas concert, citing the Queen’s chest infection and their refusal to overshadow their daughter-in-law. Translation: The King has better things to do than fight William and Kate for front-row hymnals.
But don’t worry—he’ll still host the royal Christmas bash at Sandringham, where 45 family members are expected to gather, likely ensuring that at least 40 of them end up feuding over who ate the last mince pie.
A Royal Encounter for the Ages
As King Charles strolled off into the rain, presumably to continue his streak of spontaneous interactions and avoiding Netflix documentaries about his family, the Salinas family was left stunned. “That was unreal!” someone exclaimed in the background of the video.
And really, isn’t that the essence of the British monarchy in 2024? A surreal mix of pomp, circumstance, and randomly wandering into a tourist’s TikTok while apologizing for blocking the street. Long live the King—and his unexpected cameos on your European vacation.
