It happened on a beautiful morning on the beach in Cottesloe, Perth, Australia, in March 1979. The then Prince Charles, eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II –and who would later become king– was 30 years old and was traveling across the country. on behalf of your mother.
As he finished his routine 6:30 am swimming practice, Charles was intercepted by Jane Priest, a 26-year-old model. Wearing a bikini, she laughed, placed her hands on the shy prince’s chest and shoulders and, to his surprise, kissed him on the cheek.
The moment that recalled scenes from a James Bond movie and was caught by a photographer was not as spontaneous as it might appear at the time. In a 2013 documentary, royal photographer Kent Gavin admitted that he asked the model to “run and kiss” Charles and thus generate a beautiful photo.
Even with the expected result, Jane Priest explained in a 2012 interview with the London newspaper “Evening Standard” that the meeting, intended to “make Charles more accessible”, did not go exactly as planned.
“When he saw me, he dove into the water, and I thought I would follow him into the sea; only he left as soon as I dived”, said the Australian. “So I followed him, hair all messed up, makeup ruined by water, and feeling like a fool. So I put my hands on his chest, I said I was going to kiss him and Charles was like, ‘No, I can’t touch you, I can’t touch you’.”
The rather unintentional photographic act – which was announced as the transformation of a formerly awkward young man into a desirable prince – had a lot of repercussions, appearing on front pages around the world.
It remains one of the rare occasions that a British prince has been photographed in a bathing suit, let alone wearing such short shorts.
In recent years, the use of men’s shorts has enjoyed something of a renaissance. They’re no longer considered a men’s wardrobe taboo, as viral images of actors Paul Mescal and Milo Ventimiglia in shorts showed — and helped restore the piece to its status as a summer staple.
In 2020, a campaign for more men in shorts mid-thigh or above swept TikTok with hundreds of videos — and the term “inseam shorts,” for this type of model, has more than 52 million views.
The 1979 picture also brought instant fame to Jane Priest, then a young mother, who went on to have a successful career on the catwalks and on TV.
“I was with one of the most powerful men in the world and he was absolutely adorable,” she recalled to The Evening Standard. “I was totally freaked out in those two minutes.”
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
