King Charles had 'joyful' dinner with George Bush's daughter night before Queen died

King Charles III was in a "joyful" mood the night before the Queen died with no apparent clue about her failing health, according to George W Bush's daughter.

Jenna Bush Hager had dinner with the then King-to-be in Ayrshire last Wednesday evening.

The former president’s daughter suggested that the Queen's death came as a complete surprise to the Royal Family as she told NBC’s Today show that Charles appeared to have no idea of his mother suffering from serious health problems.

Queen Consort Camilla had been unable to join the dinner with Bush Hager and her husband, Henry Chase Hager, because her British Airways flight was delayed.

Jenna Bush Hager (Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty I)

King Charles III walks along The Royal Mile as he accompanies Queen Elizabeth II's coffin to St Giles' Cathedral (Getty Images)

But Bush Hagar, 40, claimed the King had been in good spirits before the interview was abruptly called off and the royals were whisked off in a helicopter.

“He [Charles] said: ‘My darling wife is so sad . . . she can’t wait to sit down with you tomorrow,” Bush Hager told NBC where she hosts a regular hour-long segment.

“And so, you know, I think it was a surprise. I mean, we had a wonderful evening filled with conversation that felt joyful . . . and so I think this was sort of a surprise.”

She described the chaotic scenes as they had prepared for the interview in the library at Dumfries House before they were informed the Queen was seriously ill.

Taken in 2005: U.S. President George W. Bush and first lady Laura Bush greet Prince Charles and his wife the Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall at the White House (Getty Images)

“The next morning we were setting up the interview, we were at their house,” she said.

“We were there at 8.30am, the interview was supposed to start around 2pm or 2.30pm, I was supposed to meet with the now Queen Consort around 1.30pm.

“At 12.30pm we heard sort of running up and down the halls and it was her team and his team . . . they came in and said can you please be quiet there’s a call — we were right by then Prince Charles’s, now King Charles III’s, office. . .

Former US President George W. Bush poses with his daughter Jenna, prior to her wedding to Henry Hager (Reuters)

HRH King Charles III departs Edinburgh Airport ahead of the Queens coffin that will leave later this evening (Reach plc)

"And then all of a sudden we heard a helicopter. They said the Queen is ill and they have gone and rushed off to be with her.”

Bush Hager has a long relationship with the royal couple dating back to her father’s presidency.

Her own relationship with her future husband became public when they first appeared together at a White House dinner for Charles and Camilla in November 2005.