King Charles 'mobbed' by screaming fans chanting his name as he celebrates 78th birthday
King Charles 'mobbed' by screaming fans chanting his name as he celebrates 78th birthday
Jennifer Newton, Alycia McNamara, Scarlett O'Toole Sat, November 14, 2026 at 2:37 PM UTC
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King Charles visited Surrey Street Market (Image: Getty)
King Charles is celebrating his 78th birthday today, and he was seen marking the milestone a day early in Croydon, South London.
On Friday, November 13, the king toured a busy market to commemorate the occasion, where the royal was warmly received by crowds of admirers. During his visit to one of Britain's oldest street markets, local communities assembled to see Charles before schoolchildren performed a rendition of Happy Birthday in his honor.
Charles spent the day at Surrey Street Market, which is commemorating 750 years of operation. Throngs of stallholders and shoppers gathered to see the monarch, who also enjoyed performances by a local Bollywood band and dancers and was given a birthday cake to slice.
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Throughout his walkabout, Charles frequently found himself surrounded by enthusiastic well-wishers within just a few meters, all hoping to shake his hand.
Afterward, the king described his birthday cake as "brilliant" as he sliced a generous portion while students from Howard Primary School and Shirley High School Performing Arts College sang "happy birthday Your Majesty." This followed an earlier moment when he was surrounded by excited teenagers during a visit to the acclaimed BRIT School, also in Croydon, earlier in the day.
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The king was even given a birthday cake (Image: Getty)
Hundreds of excited creative arts students greeted him outside the school, chanting his name, while his security detail worked to prevent him from being overwhelmed. "Yes, boss!" one student called out, prompting Charles to laugh.
"King Charles, oh my days!" another exclaimed. The internationally renowned BRIT School counts among its graduates Adele, Amy Winehouse, Tom Holland and RAYE, along with thousands of performers, designers, technicians, producers and professionals now working in the creative sectors.
Charles then watched a performance by students Daisy and Fatima addressing youth on youth crime, speaking with them afterward about their community outreach initiatives. Charles also met his longtime friend, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, a dedicated supporter of the institution who joined him to watch a performance from the musical Chess.
In the digital suite upstairs, he discovered the diverse range of skills cultivated at the school, including animation and gaming, though he joked that at his age he might prefer sticking with watercolors. On the lower level, his appearance was celebrated with a flash mob medley, with the king asking the students afterward in sincere appreciation how they managed to recall all their choreography.
Outside, numerous students had assembled chanting his name, prompting the king to wade into the crowd and greet them, exchanging handshakes and asking about their studies. One student could be heard exclaiming that he had shaken the monarch's hand.
"You'll be shaking his car's wheels as well if you don't stand back," warned a staff member. But the student responded, "I don't care, I'll die happy!" The king will celebrate his birthday privately today.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
