The One Royal Who Can Apparently Get Away With Hugging King Charles—Robert Jobson Reveals the Surprising Family Exception!
King Charles is not exactly known for turning royal engagements into cuddle sessions—but according to royal commentator Robert Jobson, there is one family member who may be able to get away with something that would make most people think twice: wrapping their arms around the monarch in public.
There are handshakes.
There are bows.
There are carefully measured smiles.
And then there is the hug.
For a family whose public appearances are governed by centuries of tradition and expectations, an affectionate embrace can become surprisingly headline-worthy.
So when one member of the Royal Family appears able to break through that invisible wall of formality, royal watchers naturally want to know one thing:
Who gets the special treatment from King Charles?
THE ROYAL RULE THAT MAKES A HUG SO INTERESTING
Despite popular belief, there is no single official rule that absolutely bans people from hugging members of the Royal Family.
The Royal Family’s own guidance says there are no obligatory codes of behavior when meeting a royal, although many people choose to follow traditional forms such as a bow, curtsy or handshake.
Still, touching a monarch beyond a formal greeting has historically been treated as unusual.
That makes spontaneous affection stand out.
And Charles himself has shown that he is not necessarily opposed to it.
In a memorable 2024 encounter with New Zealand’s women’s rugby team, the King accepted a group hug after a player asked if they could embrace him.
“A hug? Why not!” Charles reportedly responded before joking that the experience was like being flattened by a scrum. He later described the hug as “healing.”
So perhaps the King is considerably more relaxed about affection than his formal public image suggests.
BUT WHAT ABOUT HIS OWN FAMILY?
This is where Robert Jobson’s observation becomes particularly intriguing.
The royal commentator has previously discussed the contrast between the formal expectations surrounding the monarchy and Charles’s much warmer private personality.
Behind palace doors, the King is understood to have a very different relationship with those closest to him.
And that distinction matters.
A monarch may need to maintain a certain level of composure in public—but family relationships don’t necessarily operate according to the same script.
For Charles, a hug from someone he knows intimately can therefore carry a very different meaning from an unexpected embrace from a stranger.
THE FAMILY MEMBER WHO CAN BREAK THROUGH THE FORMALITY
The identity of the relative is what makes this story so irresistible to royal watchers.
The clue isn’t necessarily about rank.
It isn’t about who stands closest to the throne.
And it isn’t simply about who appears beside Charles most frequently at official engagements.
It’s about family closeness.
That is why affectionate moments involving Charles and his relatives can feel so revealing.
They offer a glimpse of the man behind the Crown.
CHARLES HAS A SOFTER SIDE—AND IT’S NOT ALWAYS HIDDEN
The public image of King Charles can be intensely formal.
The Crown.
The ceremonial duties.
The state occasions.
The endless handshakes.
But those who have followed the King throughout his life have also seen plenty of evidence of a more relaxed personality.
He jokes.
He teases.
He laughs with people.
And, on occasion, he clearly welcomes physical affection.
His response to the New Zealand rugby players was perhaps the most spectacular recent example.
Rather than recoiling from the unexpected embrace, Charles appeared to embrace the moment himself.
WHY THIS ROYAL GETS A DIFFERENT KIND OF CHARLES
Family changes everything.
A hug from a close relative isn’t necessarily a breach of royal decorum in the same way an overly familiar greeting from a stranger might be perceived.
And that distinction may explain why certain members of Charles’s family can appear more physically affectionate with him than others.
It’s not necessarily about a secret “permission” granted by the King.
It’s about the relationship behind the public role.
King Charles the monarch may command respect. King Charles the father, grandfather or relative can simply be Charles.
That contrast is exactly what fascinates royal watchers.
THE PALACE IMAGE VERSUS THE FAMILY MAN
The Royal Family’s public appearances are designed to project continuity and stability.
Every gesture can be photographed.
Every exchange can become a headline.
Even a brief touch on an arm can attract attention.
But moments of genuine affection can completely change the tone.
Suddenly, the King isn’t simply the man wearing the Crown.
He’s a family member greeting someone he loves.
And that is precisely why the rare affectionate moments tend to resonate so strongly.
THE HUG THAT CHANGED THE CONVERSATION
Charles’s famous rugby-team embrace demonstrated something important.
Royal protocol may still shape how people approach the monarch, but the King himself can choose to respond with warmth when the circumstances feel right.
The moment was unusual enough to make headlines around the world.
Yet Charles appeared to treat it as a joyful human interaction rather than a breach of some rigid palace law.
That makes the idea of a “hug exception” even more fascinating.
Perhaps the real secret isn’t who is allowed to hug Charles.
Perhaps it’s who knows Charles well enough to know when the King will welcome it.
THE REAL REASON ROYAL FANS CAN’T LOOK AWAY
For decades, the public has been fascinated by glimpses behind the royal curtain.
What are they really like at home?
Who makes Charles laugh?
Who can tease him?
Who can ignore the formalities for a moment?
And, perhaps most intriguingly:
Who can simply walk up to the King and give him a hug?
Robert Jobson’s comments have only added fuel to that fascination.
The truth is that royal etiquette is more nuanced than the dramatic headlines often suggest. But that doesn’t make the family dynamic any less interesting.
If anything, it makes it more revealing.
Because when a member of the Royal Family gets close enough to King Charles to forget the formalities, the public gets a rare glimpse of the person behind the title.
And sometimes, one unexpected hug says more than a thousand carefully choreographed royal appearances.
