Photos showing Prince George, King Charles and Princess Charlotte wearing their friendship bracelets

Charles has found a unique was to show his bond with George and Charlotte

King Charles has a very sweet and special bond with is grandchildren – and he has a secret way of showing his affection for Prince George and Princess Charlotte in public

It’s no secret that King Charles is a doting grandfather. And he has a special way of showing his bond with Prince George and Princess Charlotte, which has been spotted by eagle-eyed royal fans.

It first came to light following the release of George’s 11th birthday photo in July. The young heir was pictured by Princess Kate and looked smart in a suit and open shirt. But it was his accessory that caught the eye; George was also wearing a twisted thread bracelet on his wrist. It’s likely that the bracelet was a souvenir from George’s night at Taylor Swift’s Eras tour in London, in which he, his younger sister Princess Charlotte and Prince William had the chance to meet the superstar singer backstage.

Taylor Swift – and her sold-out Eras tour in particular – has become synonymous with friendship bracelets. They are typically made of beads or string, using a variety of colours and spelling out different words and catchphrases, such as song lyrics or titles. The trend started thanks to Taylor’s song You’re on Your Own, Kid from her album Midnights. The lyrics include: “So, make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it,” and fans took this as a sign to start making and swapping bracelets at her concerts.

Princess Charlotte has also been seen wearing a bracelet similar to her brother’s – it was on display when she attended the Wimbledon men’s singles final with mum Kate in July. And, more surprisingly, their grandfather King Charles has also been seen wearing a colourful braided bracelet around his left wrist on recent outings. Fans have speculated that one of his grandchildren made the accessory for him – and he has sweetly chosen to wear it on a daily basis.

As well as George and Charlotte, the King is known to have a special bond with Prince Louis – clear to see from their loving interactions during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and in family photographs. Sadly, Charles very rarely sees his two other grandchildren. Harry and Meghan’s children, Archie and Lilibet, have only met the King on a handful of occasions as a result of the Sussexes’ security fears about visiting the UK.

But it has been reported that he has committed himself to building a relationship with Archie and Lilibet and to be present in their lives. The monarch is said to have told friends he is not content with only seeing them on video calls after meeting Archie, five, only a handful of times and two-year-old Lilibet just once. A source said: “The King is absolutely committed to being present in all of his grandchildren’s lives. He values family above everything and whatever the course of his ­relationship with his son he would never be content with just seeing his grandchildren on the odd video call.”