The King's kindness: Charles's surprise visit to D-Day veteran's house

The King met Jim Booth at a VJ Day event in 2015

The daughter of a D-Day veteran, who died in 2022, said her father always thought the King was "a man of honour and integrity" after the then Prince Charles paid a surprise visit to his home.

Jim Booth was 101 when he passed away in December 2022. He was a member of a secret underwater mission to spy on the beaches of Normandy ahead of D-Day.

Mr Booth met the King a number of times during his life, but arguably the most memorable was a visit to his Taunton home.

It came about after a horrific attack which left Mr Booth in hospital. His attacker was subsequently sent to prison for attempted murder.

Commenting on the visit, Jim's daughter, Vicky Pugh, said: "They spent an hour or so talking about farming and the environment, passions they shared, and my father was impressed by the depth of King Charles’ knowledge and commitment to farming and conservation.

"His Majesty kept in regular contact thereafter until my father’s death in December last year when he sent a wonderfully kind hand-written letter of condolence and flowers. 

"My father considered The King to be a man of honour and integrity. He saw him as having vision and a total commitment to serving this country. He always said King Charles would prove to be a great monarch."

Jim Booth met King Charles on a number of occasions when he was Prince of Wales, including approaching him to give support to a memorial stone on Hayling Island, dedicated to the team who carried out the mission he was a part of during World War II.

Mr Booth also made headlines in 2015 when he asked the then Duchess of Cornwall to dance at a VJ Day event in London.

Jim Booth famously danced with the then Duchess of Cornwall in 2015

The former Lord-Lieutenant of Somerset, Annie Maw, presented Jim Booth with the British Empire Medal he was awarded in the 2020 New Year's Honours for service to the community.

On the then Prince's visit to Mr Booth's home, she said: "Prince Charles went to see Jim Booth two days before he was going to have to go to court to meet his assailant and he was nervous about it.

"Prince Charles went and spent the whole afternoon just chatting to him and he said that made such a difference to his ability to get through that."