Boris Johnson’s Reported Desire for Revenge on King Charles Over Controversial Migration Plan

According to reports, Boris Johnson, the former Prime Minister of the UK, harbored feelings of revenge towards King Charles when he was still known as the Prince of Wales. This sentiment arose in 2022 after Charles criticized Johnson's contentious plan aimed at addressing illegal migration, which proposed sending asylum seekers who arrived in the UK illegally to Rwanda. Charles called the proposal "appalling" during a critical period when he was preparing to represent Queen Elizabeth II at the Commonwealth summit in Kigali, Rwanda.

The Inside Story of the Monarchy and 10 Downing Street," reveals how Buckingham Palace sought to downplay the emerging tension between the royal family and the Johnson administration. The goal was to prevent any negative publicity that portrayed Charles as complaining about a government policy designed to resolve a pressing migration issue. Despite efforts from The Home Office to de-escalate the situation, Low notes that Johnson was keen on retaliating against Charles for his comments.

As the situation unfolded, both leaders were eventually photographed shaking hands and smiling, an attempt to project unity prior to the Commonwealth meeting. However, Johnson managed to keep the narrative surrounding Charles' criticism alive, particularly during a flight to Rwanda where he indirectly referenced Charles by commenting on the need to address “condescending attitudes” towards Rwanda. Although he refrained from naming the King, the former director of communications for Downing Street, Guto Harri, remarked that this statement was clearly a veiled jab at Charles. He alluded to Johnson's character, noting his inclination toward seeking retribution rather than displaying anger, and highlighted the awkward position of the royal family, who are usually advised against publicly sharing political opinions.