John Jones slept outside Cardiff Castle overnight to see the monarch (Image: Reuters / Wales Online)
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King Charles III told a man he “shouldn’t have” queued 15 hours to see him amid his first visit to Wales as monarch.
John Jones wanted to meet the sovereign and the Queen Consort despite being “no royalist”, so he camped out in the Welsh capital overnight on Thursday, September 15.
John was one 2,000 lucky Brits to enter Cardiff Castle for the monarch’s appereance.
And he detailed his experience on Wales Online, expressing the challenges of sleeping overnight on a broken camping chair, mingling with other members of the public and finally coming face to face with King Charles III.
When he did so, John said: “Your Majesty, can I just say, I’ve waited 15 hours to come here today.”
The King laughed: “You shouldn’t have… But I’m deeply touched.”
John, a journalist, wrote: “Seeing people united in a shared passion or belief was heartwarming and I felt lifted by my time with the other queuing legends around me and the buzz that they emitted.
“I will look back on this experience fondly. But God better save the King, because I don’t fancy doing it again for a very, very long time.”
The reporter did endure blisters and sleep deprivation for his trouble. 
Crowds gather to see King Charles III (Image: Wales Online)
John added: “Despite everyone at the front of the queue having an early start, the excitement was tangible. Most were here not just to pass on their sympathies and thanks to the new King, but to witness a moment of history. The term “once in a lifetime” was heard a lot amongst the crowds of Royal supporters young and old, with many feeling that it was their duty to attend.
“I’m largely indifferent to the Royal Family in most respects, but having watched Royal weddings and Jubilee celebrations, I’d always wondered if I was missing out on the Royal bug. Those die-hard monarchists always seem so full of life on TV, and I decided I wanted to try a bit of that for myself.”
King Charles III and the Queen Consort met well-wishers, Government officials and the Archbishop of Wales during their visit on Friday.
Six-year-old Nia Harvey-Pugh handed Camilla a drawing of both her and Charles.
The sovereign was greeted with cheers in Cardiff (Image: Wales Online)
Charles told the Welsh Parliament she felt pride at “your many great achievements” and also “felt you deeply in great times of sorrow”.
His address was in response to a Motion of Condolence in the Senedd, which came after the late monarch was described during a memorial service at Llandaff Cathedral in Cardiff earlier in the day as a “towering figure on the world stage”.
Charles, who was taught Welsh at the University College of Wales at Aberystwyth in 1969, addressed members in both Welsh and English, adding that he was immensely proud of Wales and was devoted to the country.
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