The King's coronation: 'What a laugh we had over the scissors!'

Jan Farrington has been recalling how the King saw the funny side of a slight mix-up involving a pair of scissors.

The then Duke of Rothesay performed the ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the refurbished Healing Hub in Wick last July. It proved to be one of his last public duties before acceding to the throne.

Jan is secretary and treasurer of MS Therapy Centre Wick, the group that runs the facility in the former Old Men’s Rest at the Braehead.

There was a brief delay as Charles grappled with the scissors, seemingly having difficulty applying the required snip to the red ribbon across the entrance to the building.

After a few moments he duly completed the task, smiling in the sunshine as onlookers gave an impromptu round of applause.

Jan recalled: "It was a beautiful day and he's such an unassuming, knowledgeable, likeable person. He puts everybody at ease.

"The laugh we had over the scissors... There was nothing wrong with the scissors, he just wasn't holding the tape tight enough!

"I clapped him on the back and I thought, 'Oh my God, what have I just done?' But it got cut and we laughed about it.

"We got a lovely photo of him holding the scissors."

The barochamber within the Healing Hub can help people with a range of health issues, from multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis to sports injuries.

"He wanted to know about how the chamber worked, and the comings and goings of it," Jan said. "He was hoping to get a chamber established in Norfolk, a Healing Hub type of thing, and asked if they could get in touch.

"Anything that is holistic and you can do for yourself, he's interested in. He spoke to everybody and wanted to know how they had fared through the chamber and what good it had done for them.

"I can't fault him for his knowledge, his friendliness and his unassuming attitude.

"He's possibly quite a shy person. He has a job to do and I wouldn't have it for the world, to be honest.

"He wants you to be at ease and he wants to know all about you.

"He makes the effort to read about and understand the place he is coming to and then to ask the relevant questions."

As part of the catering arrangements that day, Jan had even provided a tray of egg sandwiches which the royal visitor took with him as he was driven off to his next engagement.

"He loves egg sandwiches," she said. "He took them as a takeaway."

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