Tom Parker Bowles Says Stepfather King Charles Could be "Fantastic" at Another Job if He Wasn't Monarch

King Charles wearing a blue suit and tie looking to the left with an amused expression — (Image credit: Getty Images)

As an acclaimed food writer, Tom Parker Bowles—otherwise known as Queen Camilla's son and King Charles's stepson—has seen it all when it comes to the food industry through the years. But while discussing farming and sustainable practices in a new interview with the Telegraph, he also mused on a job that The King would be "fantastic" at if he wasn't on the throne.

Parker Bowles, 49, has been a food critic for nearly 25 years, and the Telegraph reported he "has a special interest in the plight of the farmers."

“The two heroes of farming are The King and Jeremy Clarkson,” he told the publication, adding Clarkson (of Top Gear fame) is "a hero of the farmers because he has shown that it’s a thankless task." But what about King Charles?

“I’d never ever speak for the King," Parker Bowles said. "But all my life, way before it was trendy, way before regenerative was even a word…he has been banging the drum and supporting farming."

King Charles and Tom Parker Bowles wearing suits and smiling while talking to each other in front of a row of pink flowers — Tom Parker Bowles is seen chatting with The King at Royal Ascot.

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Indeed, King Charles has long been a supporter of "going green," promoting sustainability back when it was considered a bit off-the-wall to do so. He's also very into farming and food production. In fact, The King's stepson said the monarch could actually take over his job if he wanted.

"There is no man—and I’m not being oily—who knows more about cheesemaking," the food critic said. "If he wasn’t King he would be a fantastic food writer.” I'd definitely be reading, for one.

This isn't the first time Parker Bowles, who released royal cookbook Cooking & The Crown in September, has praised his stepdad's knowledge about food. In a September piece he wrote for the Daily Mail, the author said, "There is no man who knows more about food and farming, from the best of British cheeses, through rare breeds of sheep and cow, to heritage varieties of plum, apple and pear, than The King."

He continued that "Charles is a true food hero, and he very much practices what he preaches," adding "there is no waste at his table." Armed with Tom's new cookbook, perhaps The King can invite the family over for a sustainable feast.

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Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.