Even members of the Royal Family aren’t immune from making a statement on their cars. Although King Charles typically rides in a chauffeured car to official events, he enjoys driving himself, too—and former royal butler Grant Harrold shares the very on-brand bumper sticker The King shows off on one of his vehicles.
Harrold, who served The King at Highgrove House from 2004 to 2011, told Select Car Leasing that his former boss shares his passion for wildlife conservation when he hits the road. Speaking of King Charles’s various cars, Harrold noted His Majesty owns “a Jaguar which has a big sticker on the back saying ‘Save the Red Squirrel’.”
As patron of the Red Squirrel Survival Trust, it’s an especially meaningful sticker for King Charles. The monarch has supported the charity since 2009, and even admitted to letting the animals run around his Scottish home.
King Charles with red squirrels
A photo posted by on
“As you will all know so well, these charming and intelligent creatures never fail to delight,” The King wrote in a letter to the Red Squirrel Survival Trust. “I take enormous pleasure in having them around – and in! – the house when I am at home in Scotland.”
King Charles praised the “inquisitive and delightful characters” in his note, adding, “they have even been known to hunt down a few of their favourite nuts left out in an unguarded jacket pocket!”
The King bought the Royal Family's first all-electric car, a Jaguar I-Pace, in 2018 after switching from all-petrol cars. He also still drives the convertible Aston Martin he received as a 21st birthday gift in 1969, but it has since been converted to run on wine and cheese.
“We couldn’t believe it when we found out, we used to joke about it a lot in the staff room,” Harrold said, adding that “Prince William used to mock his dad for it a lot, in a loving way of course, but it’s just such a random thing to do.”
