Emperor Naruhito of Japan reveals what the British royals are really like behind closed doors - as he praises late Queen and Prince Philip for treating him 'like family'
Emperor Naruhito says he was invited to Balmoral for a couple of days in the 80sREAD MORE: Emperor Naruhito of Japan admits his family is running out of heirs
Emperor Naruhito has praised the British royals for treating him 'like family' when he spent time with the late Queen Elizabeth in the 1980s.
During his two years studying at Oxford University, the royal, now 64, was invited to stay at Balmoral for a couple of days.
Emperor Naruhito smiled as he recalled sweet memories of the late Queen, Prince Philip and King Charles.
According to the Japan Times, he said: 'I have very fond memories of the Queen driving a car, inviting me to a barbecue and Prince Philip showing me around by driving a carriage himself.'
The father-of-one said King Charles, who was then the Prince of Wales, taught him how to fly fish, but admitted that 'neither of us had success.'
Queen Elizabeth escorts Naruhito through the Great Hall in Windsor Castle in 2001
The then Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito and Prince Charles watch an exhibit after the opening ceremony of the Japan Festival 1991 at the Victoria & Albert Museum
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan attend Queen Elizabeth's funeral in 1991
'I was welcomed with warmth as if I were their family member,' Emperor Naruhito added.
He also attended the late Queen's funeral in September 2022, marking his first overseas trip after The Emperor's enthronement.
The royal said he was 'very grateful' that King Charles is set welcome him and his wife, despite his cancer diagnosis.
The Princess of Wales, 42, also announced that she had cancer at the end of March and has been going through preventative chemotherapy.
She attended Trooping the Colour last weekend, where she rode in a carriage alongside her children Prince Louis, six, Prince George, 10 and nine-year-old Princess Charlotte.
Speaking of Charles and Kate, Naruhito said: 'I hope their treatment goes smoothly and they can make a speedy recovery.'
The Emperor is planning to fly over to the UK with his wife, Empress Masako, on Saturday and stay for eight days, with events for their official visit commencing on Tuesdau.
During their trip, the couple are going to attend private events along with meeting Japanese people who live in the UK.
Naruhito walks along Windsor Castle with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in 2001
The then Crown Prince Naruhito and Prince Charles attend the opening ceremony of the Japan Festival at the Victoria & Albert Museum in 1991
The Emperor is planning to fly over to the UK with his wife, Empress Masako (both pictured), on Saturday and stay for eight days
Currently, Princess Aiko (pictured) is their only child and the law states that the throne shall only be succeeded to by a male offspring
They will also go to the Francis Crick Institute and visit Oxford on their final day, where Masako also studied.
The Empress is still in the process of recovering from a stress-induced illness, according to the Japanese outlet.
Some have said that she has been suffering from this because she feels pressure to produce a male heir.
Currently, Princess Aiko is their only child and the law states that the throne shall only be succeeded to by a male offspring.
Aside from Naruhito's nephew Prince Hisahito, 17, the only male heirs are his brother Crown Prince Akishino, 58, and his uncle Prince Hitachi, 88.
Naruhito said yesterday: 'The number of male members of the imperial family is decreasing, they are ageing, and female members of the imperial family leave the imperial family upon marriage.'
If the marriage was to a prince, they could stay within the family - the trouble is that there are no fellow male royals for them to wed.
'Due to these factors, the number of members of the imperial family who can take on public duties is decreasing compared to before,' he continued.
'This is a problem that relates to the future of the imperial family, but I would like to refrain from commenting on matters related to the [legal] system.'