Boats and booze in rare pics of Charles at Balmoral relaxing with family

Charles draped in three kilts toasts Andrew’s return from war with whisky

Millions around the world tuned in to enjoy the spectacular pomp of King Charles III’s coronation.

Centuries of solemn tradition and history dictated that, as the world watched, no one was allowed a glimpse of the fun-loving prankster beneath the crown of the new monarch.

But today, The Sunday Post can reveal the charming, intimate photographs which show the new King as only his family have ever seen him – the warm-hearted joker who loves nothing more than letting his hair down once royal duties are over for the day.

Our exclusive pictures show King Charles letting loose in his younger years – celebrating the return of his helicopter pilot brother Andrew from the Falklands war in 1982, joining his mother, Queen Elizabeth, and the Queen Mother to welcome his sibling home to Balmoral.

The pictures also provide a glimpse of why Balmoral, with its trusted staff, was where Queen Elizabeth found such comfort over the years.

Prince Andrew on his return from the 1982 Falklands conflict, waves from a rowing boat dubbed HMS invincible at Balmoral

Ghillies and estate workers dressed up a large rowing boat to resemble HMS Invincible, the battleship Andrew served on, before physically dragging it through the castle grounds to the skirl of bagpipes and much cheering. Meanwhile, the then Prince Charles wears three kilts draped around his body as he and Andrew toast each other with whisky, throwing the golden liquid over each other in the sheer exuberance of the moment.

The charming photographs, which have been seen only once before in more than 40 years, show the royals at play, a loving family enjoying a joke and a laugh on the rare occasions when they are not in the full glare of the media.

Andrew was welcomed by his mother, centre left, and older brother, right, among wellwishers

Every year when she arrived at Balmoral the Queen’s household would turn out and stand in the castle grounds to greet her. She would stop and chat to every person as she knew all their names and their family.

As we see in these photos, one year, the corgis, who could be notoriously badly behaved and nipped everyone except the Queen, decided to run around the grounds and flushed out a rabbit.

They chased it and brought it down. The ghillies all tried to get the rabbit out of the corgi’s mouth but the only person who could successfully do so was the Queen.

The images also show an intimate moment with Charles and Diana in the heather love carriage created for their 1981 honeymoon.

The carriage was adorned with purple heather and the newlyweds were delighted staff had made an effort to welcome them. The pair were led around the castle grounds by staff.