Designer India Hicks Reveals Prince Charles's Sly Sense of Humor in a Touching Birthday Message

Caroline Hallemann
Updated
Photo credit: Getty Images
Photo credit: Getty Images

From Town & Country

Prince Charles received numerous messages yesterday in honor of his milestone birthday, not only from his family, but also from well-wishers around the world. One particularly poignant note came from the Prince's goddaughter, designer India Hicks.

"Every birthday, every Christmas, a card and present would arrive from my Godfather. To begin with, they were signed: from ‘your loving Godfather Charles’, then they became ‘your old Godfather Charles’ and then ‘your ancient Godfather Charles’. His Royal Highness might be celebrating a 70th birthday this year but, goodness, he is far from ancient," Hicks wrote in the caption of a photo of Prince Charles with her grandfather, Lord Mountbatten.

Mountbatten was a mentor to Prince Charles, and it's even been said that the Prince of Wales thought of "Uncle Dickie" like a grandfather.

Every birthday, every Christmas, a card and present would arrive from my Godfather. To begin with, they were signed: from ‘your loving Godfather Charles’, then they became ‘your old Godfather Charles’ and then ‘your ancient Godfather Charles’. His Royal Highness might be celebrating a 70th birthday this year but, goodness, he is far from ancient. It takes a very fit mind, body and spirit to be engaged in so many charities and military organizations and to be an active patron to hundreds of foundations where his passion and dedication affects such change. I had the opportunity to meet with a young woman who had been a victim of the most intolerable sex abuse, which led to mental heath issues and subsequently unemployment. The Prince’s Trust has become expert in supporting those in particularly challenging situations. This girl has now been given the skills she needs to live and learn and earn. She is one of hundreds of thousands whose lives have turned around because of the Prince’s Trust and the Prince’s personal vision when he founded the charity. I am lucky to have such a Godfather, but we all are lucky to have such a Prince amongst us. (Seen here with my Grandfather)

A post shared by India Hicks (@indiahicksstyle) on Nov 14, 2018 at 11:45am PST

"It takes a very fit mind, body and spirit to be engaged in so many charities and military organizations and to be an active patron to hundreds of foundations where his passion and dedication affects such change," Hicks continued in the post, highlighting the work the Prince's Trust does to support vulnerable youth and to offer job training and career education. She also calls attention to a specific young woman who had been the victim of sexual abuse and had received support from the Prince's Trust.

"This girl has now been given the skills she needs to live and learn and earn. She is one of hundreds of thousands whose lives have turned around because of the Prince’s Trust and the Prince’s personal vision when he founded the charity."

She then signed off with a sweet final thought. "I am lucky to have such a Godfather," she wrote. "But we all are lucky to have such a Prince amongst us."

Photo credit: Hulton Archive - Getty Images
Photo credit: Hulton Archive - Getty Images

Hicks, who is a fashion designer and entrepreneur, has written of her godfather several times on Instagram. A few Christmases ago, she even shared photos of one of those cards where Charles signed off, "your incredibly ancient godfather." See that post, along with a charming anecdote about how the Prince of Wales sent her an English China gravy boat for her eighth birthday, below:

“What do you want for Christmas?” I asked Domino. She answered very quickly and very definitively: “A robotic dog called Chip, that charges itself on his own platform.” The answer just made me feel old, and rather sad thinking about Chip The Robotic Dog. When I suggested he would be cold and unfurry, and just make Banger feel all inadequate, she looked at me as though I had landed from Mars. But Chip The Robotic Dog would certainly be less confusing than the gravy dish I received for Christmas from a certain Godfather when I was about 8 years old. That was probably the first time I remember receiving the thick cardboard box wrapped in brown paper, with an imposing purple ER stamp on it. Inside was lots of scratchy straw and inside that, when you dug deep, was a gravy dish, or a saucer, or a demitasse. For years and years every birthday and every Christmas these cardboard boxes arrived. Every year I was rather hoping for something other than a saucer. Obviously not Chip The Robotic Dog, but maybe an Adam Ant poster or something… I have now moved from one home to another in England and the mountain of Thomas Goode boxes have finally been brought up from the cellar, unwrapped, dusted off and put to use. A complete set of impressive fine English China. In fact, a really Goode one.

A post shared by India Hicks (@indiahicksstyle) on Dec 16, 2016 at 8:10am PST

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