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    The Unexpected Reason King Charles Revealed He's a Fan of Pumps With "Block Heels" at Windsor Castle Event

    "It gets a bit harder to walk in heels as you get older."

    Amy Mackelden's avatar
    By Amy Mackelden
    Published 15 June 2025 In News

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    King Charles laughs while wearing a navy suit
    (Image credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
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    King Charles has had an extremely busy week. As well as attending Trooping the Colour alongside other senior members of the Royal Family, he also made time to attend a reception honoring the winners of The King's Award. It was there that The King shared his love of "block heels," much to the surprise of other attendees.

    Lisa Kay, the founder of footwear company Sole Bliss, received The King's Award for Enterprise, on account of her services to women's fashion. As Queen Camilla is a known fan of Sole Bliss shoes, it's perhaps no surprise that King Charles knows his stilettos from his block heels.

    While speaking to The King, Kay said, per a press release, "Her Royal Highness [Queen Camilla] has purchased our shoes, so hopefully she finds them comfortable." Charles gave some seriously detailed responses, proving he pays attention to his wife's likes and dislikes.

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    "She likes a heel that's not too narrow," the monarch replied. Kay confirmed that Queen Camilla's go-to shoe had a block heel, and The King responded, "Yes, a block heel!" He further explained, "It gets a bit harder to walk in heels as you get older," via the Daily Mail.

    As well as getting The King and Queen's seal of approval, Dame Annabel Whitehead, a former lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth II, told Kay, "We all love you here."

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    King Charles III speaks with Lisa Kay of footwear company Sole Bliss Ltd at reception for the King's Award for Enterprise at Windsor Castle on June 12, 2025

    King Charles III speaks with Lisa Kay of Sole Bliss.

    (Image credit: Maja Smiejkowska - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

    According to a press release, Queen Camilla has been wearing Sole Bliss shoes since June 2018, and her collection of the brand's footwear is worth more than $2,000.

    Discussing her meeting with the monarch, Kay said in a press release, "Meeting King Charles at Windsor Castle was incredibly exciting! The whole experience was surreal!"

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    The ultimate daily digest for women of power, purpose, and style.

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    Sole Bliss was founded in 2017 when Kay decided to create footwear she could comfortably wear with bunions. "Women generally just need comfort, so you're not thinking about your feet, you're thinking about where you are and what you're doing," the founder explained. "It's for every job really—but especially royalty."

    Kay continued, "Walking through Windsor Castle to receive this honor from The King, knowing that my shoes have walked these same corridors on Queen Camilla's feet dozens of times, felt like the ultimate full-circle moment."

    King Charles III speaks with Lisa Kay of footwear company Sole Bliss Ltd at reception for the King's Award for Enterprise at Windsor Castle on June 12, 2025

    King Charles discussing block heels.

    (Image credit: Maja Smiejkowska - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

    Celebrities such as Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, Oprah Winfrey, and Helen Mirren are also fans of Sole Bliss.

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    Amy Mackelden
    Amy Mackelden
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    Weekend Editor

    Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.

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