Arbiter of all things posh, Nicky Haslam, has revealed some of the things he find common at Christmas – and one of them is related to the King’s Speech.
The socialite and furniture designer discussed the topic in an interview with the Telegraph.
According to the 85-year-old, it is not the speech per se that he finds ‘common’, but the way people watch it that determines whether it is appropriately posh or not.
In Haslam’s opinion, it is common ‘not to watch the King’s Speech in real time’.
He went even further, and noted that some people record the speech, which he described as ‘ghastly’.
Haslam, who has royal links himself, as the son of one of Queen Victoria’s goddaughters, is according to the Telegraph, a good friend of Queen Camilla.
In addition, he socialised with Diana, Princess of Wales, and has worked for King Charles.
He is said to be impressed by how the monarch has undertaken royal duties while undergoing cancer treatment.
Nicky Haslam (pictured in London in June 2023) said it is ‘ghastly’ to record the King’s Speech rather than watch it live
However, Haslam did have one negative thing to say about His Majesty, telling the outlet: ‘He’s doing all the kingly things he’s waited for, and that’s so touching. But it’s a great pity he doesn’t want to live in Buckingham Palace. It symbolises monarchy.’
His interview comes after he released his annual tea towel, titled ‘The Latest Things Nicky Haslam Finds Common’, a tradition he started in 2018.
To release the 2024 tea towel which retails at £50 (up from £18 when it was first released in 2018), he teamed up with Selfridges.
He unveiled this year’s tea towel, which features 39 items he finds ‘common’, to the Sunday Times at the beginning of November.
Unveiling this year’s tea towel to the Sunday Times, Haslam, who is based in the Cotswolds, declared that his controversial list should be varied enough to upset everyone in some capacity as he took aim at dairy free alternatives, destination weddings and yellow bags (in which the products will be sold by Selfridges).
Among those he took aim at were people who get married abroad, people who have fire pits in their garden, people who drink almond milk and people who hold gender reveal parties.
He even put Vogue’s editor-in-chief Anna Wintour on the list for her daily routine, which she has shared on a number of occasions and involves her going to the gym and getting her hair done.
King Charles is pictured while recording of his first Christmas broadcast in the Quire of St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, in December 2022
Among those considered lower class by Haslam are people who rescue dogs; suggesting an adopted pooch is now akin to a ‘Birkin bag’.
He revealed his method for devising the tea towel each year is by jotting down ‘common’ things throughout the year that have irritated him.
While many people will likely flock to Selfridges in their droves to pick up one of Haslam’s tea towels, he will certainly ruffle a few feathers too.
The socialite’s 2023 list poked fun at grieving and the Northern Lights, prompting Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis to take to X (formerly Twitter) to brand Haslam a ‘prat’.
This may well have been noticed by Haslam, who ensured ‘insisting on discounts’ made the list this year; with Lewis known for helping consumers find the cheapest deals possible on bills and every day spending.
The same year, Haslam also took aim at Zoom meetings, fly pasts, 110 per cent, podcasts, Grayson Perry and Wimbledon.
Haslam’s 2018 list, the first he produced, included breakfast meetings, swans, hedge funds, mindfulness, Bono, intensely private people, Woman’s Hour, The Proms and central heating.
Speaking at the time, he said: ‘No one is allowed to have opinions any more and everything has to be PC.
‘There is no individuality — even buildings are starting to look the same.’
