King Charles has revealed the common aspect of royal engagements that can be “hazardous”.
The monarch, 77, was tasked with unveiling a new plaque at the headquarters of Great British Energy in Aberdeenshire on Tuesday – which he admitted can often be rather tricky.
He joked: “Unveiling plaques can be a slightly hazardous occasion, which I have discovered to my cost on many occasions!”
After prompting laughter, the King added: “It is remarkable to see the extent of all the engineering skills in this part of the world.”
The King was visiting Aberdeen as part of a number of engagements to highlight the energy transition in the area. Later on, he unveiled a second plaque at the Peterhead Port Authority.
Luckily, it all went smoothly, with the King pulling away a blue cloak to reveal a sign reading: “To commemorate the visit of His Majesty King Charles III to Peterhead Port Authority on 22nd September 2026.”
After meeting people and organisations involved in the area’s energy ecosystem, he said: “I’m sorry it’s taken so long to turn up here. I’m delighted.
“I don’t know where this plaque’s going to end up, but anyway, nothing could give me greater pleasure, having met so many of you this morning, and I’m very grateful to you for all appearing and helping to tell me all about your plans for all this development in the area.”
King Charles’s recent plaque fumbles
Accidentally messing up a plaque unveiling is something that’s clearly been on the King’s mind recently.
This is perhaps unsurprising due to a recent unveiling that went awry at the start of the month.
© Getty ImagesLuckily, the King saw the funny side of things while commemorating the 125th anniversary of the Victoria League for Commonwealth Friendship.
As he attempted to lift off the blue covering from the stand, the plaque unexpectedly fell onto the grass, prompting giggles from the King.
A bystander quickly stepped in, retrieved the plaque, and placed it back on the stand, allowing Charles to remove the covering.
© POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesBack in March, King Charles joked that his visit to solar panel company Oxford Photovoltaics was a “disaster” after he accidentally knocked down another plaque after swiping it away.
So, it’s easy to see why the royal has become slightly wary of the big moment!
King’s ‘war of words’ with former brother-in-law Earl Spencer
Charles’s visits on Tuesday marked the first time he’d been seen in public since his “war of words” with Charles Spencer, Princess Diana‘s younger brother.
© Tim Graham Photo Library via GetThe Earl made a raft of claims in his new memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, which was published on Tuesday, including that the King said “we’ll forget her soon enough” after she died, and sounded “giddily elated” in the wake of the fatal car crash.
In response to the claims made in the memoir, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said last week: “While we do not comment on books as a matter of principle, His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss.”
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