King Charles III Mistakenly Flown Union Jack Flag Upside Down at Arlington Cemetery
King Charles III’s union jack flag was flown upside down during a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia on Thursday. He and Queen Camilla were there to pay their respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier as the United States visit drew to a close.
The King laid a wreath at the tomb, and Queen Camilla laid a posy of red, white and purple flowers. The military band played four muffled ruffles and taps before a silent moment of remembrance.
Arlington National Cemetery Ceremony
King Charles III and Queen Camilla were met by U.S. Army Major General Antoinette Gant and Monica Crowley. The flag error was noticed during the parade at the cemetery, where the wider diagonal white stripe should be above the red diagonal stripe in the half nearest the flagpole, according to the Flag Institute.
Mark Stone, a Sky News correspondent, wrote on X: “Rather a diplomatic gaff (sic) by the Americans here,” and “The Union flag is upside down at the Arlington Cemetery event.” He also noted the mistake as it unfolded at the event.
Second Flag Mistake
The Arlington error was the second flag-related blunder tied to the royal visit. Ahead of the couple’s arrival in Washington, D.C., hundreds of national banners were installed around the city, including 15 Australian flags hung around posts near the White House and the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
A D.C. Department of Transportation official said the mistake was quickly fixed and the flags were removed. Neither King Charles III nor Queen Camilla publicly commented on the upside-down flag as the visit continued with other engagements in Virginia.
After the event, King Charles III later departed the United States for Bermuda. The episode left the ceremony remembered less for the wreath-laying than for a flag display that the Flag Institute says is “most improper” to fly upside down.
