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Bill Roache and King Charles joke about workloads at Windsor Castle

Bill Roache received his OBE this week credit:Bang Showbiz
Bill Roache received his OBE this week credit:Bang Showbiz

King Charles and Bill Roache joked about their workloads at Windsor Castle.

The 'Coronation Street' veteran - who holds the world record for the longest-serving actor in a continuous role, having played Ken Barlow since 1960 - received his OBE from the king on Wednesday (14.12.22) and admitted they shared a good conversation.

As quoted by the Daily Mirror newspaper, he said: "Charles was lovely - very friendly. He said, 'Not still working are you?' I said, 'Yes, I just had two ex-girlfriends on the show'.

"He said, 'Oh, that must have been work', and I said, 'May I wish you a long and joyful reign, sir?' And he said, 'Thank you, that will be a lot of work too.' "

The 90-year-old actor - whose character Ken has found himself in a love triangle with Wendy Crozier (Roberta Kerr) and Martha Fraser (Stephanie Beacham) on the cobbles - revealed he's a big fan of the royals.

He added: "I love the Royal Family. I met the Queen about seven times. Charles is really, really friendly and more easy going, possibly in a sense.

"But the Queen was... when she came [to visit the 'Corrie' set] less than a year ago she always listened, she was attentive, on the ball and didn't miss a trick.

"And they always love the humour."

At the same ceremony this week, TV star Matt Baker was given an MBE for his work with 'Children In Need'.

The 44-year-old presenter revealed he and the king chatted about a herd of Hebridean sheep Matt bought off Charles - when he was Prince of Wales - during 'Countryfile' filming.

He said: "I told him about them because, with it being so frosty, I was feeding them this morning before I came - and they're still going strong.

"So we had a bit of a natter about it."