Why did Prince Charles have an incredibly rare meeting with the prime minister?

Rebecca Taylor
·Royal Correspondent
Updated ·2 min read
Britain's Prince Charles, Prince of Wales chats to Britain's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson (R) following the dedication service for the National Memorial to British Victims of Overseas Terrorism at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire on May 17, 2018. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / various sources / AFP) (Photo credit should read PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Prince Charles and Boris Johnson had a rare meeting this week. (Getty Images)

The Queen has a weekly audience with the prime minister, but it’s not often that the heir apparent meets the leader of the government.

But according to a court circular, Prince Charles had a rare meeting with the Prime Minister on Tuesday evening.

The Prince of Wales received Boris Johnson on Tuesday evening, at Clarence House.

The news appeared as one line on the court circular, which lists each engagement carried out by royal family members every day.

While the Queen has a weekly audience with the prime minister, and has done since she acceded, it’s rarer for the heir apparent to do so.

He has a regular meeting with the prime minister in September each year, and this appears in court circulars.

Clarence House would not comment further. Number 10 has been contacted for comment.

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 10: Boris Johnson, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Charles, Prince of Wales attend the Opening Ceremony of the Invictus Games at Olympic Park on September 10, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Getty Images for Invictus Games)
Johnson, Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall at the Invictus Games opening ceremony in 2014. (Getty Images)

Read more: Prince William and Kate talk Brexit with Irish president in historic visit

There has not been further detail released or a readout from Number 10 so it’s not known what was on the agenda between the two men.

It came on the same day as the prime minister revealed the government’s action plan for dealing with any further spread of coronavirus, as the Queen was seen giving out investitures while wearing long white gloves.

Prince Charles and Camilla received Johnson and his partner, Carrie Symonds, in September last year. In the circular, the royal couple is listed as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay which means the meeting took place in Scotland.

front row (L-R) Britain's Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sit together at Buckingham Palace in central London on December 3, 2019, as leaders of Nato alliance countries, and its secretary general, join Queen Elizabeth II and the Prince of Wales for a group picture to mark 70 years of the alliance ahead of the NATO alliance summit. - NATO leaders gather Tuesday for a summit to mark the alliance's 70th anniversary but with leaders feuding and name-calling over money and strategy, the mood is far from festive. (Photo by Yui Mok / POOL / AFP) (Photo by YUI MOK/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Boris Johnson has a weekly audience with the Queen. (Getty Images)

Read more: Coronavirus: Professor warns people to stop kissing in public to prevent infection spreading

Prince Charles had an audience with Theresa May in Scotland in September 2018, and both Charles and Camilla received May and her husband Philip in September 2017.

In addition to a regular September meeting in Scotland, Prince Charles received David Cameron in July 2012 for a meeting.

In February, Charles and Camilla paid a visit to the Cabinet Office, on a day which turned out to be a bit busier than an average reshuffle, as then-Chancellor Sajid Javid dramatically quit his role.

He made a rare comment about Brexit, thanking cabinet staff for their hard work over the last two years.