King Charles III’s visit to the United States ended with what has been branded a ‘diplomatic blunder’ at Arlington National Cemetery.
The King and Queen Camilla, who arrived in the U.S. Monday, were at the Virginia memorial Thursday to pay their respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
However the Union flag was incorrectly flown upside down during the parade at the cemetery.
“Rather a diplomatic gaff (sic) by the Americans here,” Sky News correspondent Mark Stone remarked on X. “The Union flag is upside down at the Arlington Cemetery event.”
In the half nearest the flagpole, the Union flag’s wider diagonal white stripe must be above the red diagonal stripe, according to the Flag Institute.
“It is most improper to fly the flag upside down,” the institute says.
During the event, the King and Queen were met by U.S. Army Major General Antoinette Gant and Monica Crowley, the chief of protocol of the United States.
The King laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, while Queen Camilla laid a posy of red, white and purple flowers.
A military band played four muffled ruffles and taps, which were then followed by a silent moment of remembrance.
After the event concluded, the King and Queen attended other engagements in Virginia. The King later departed the United States for Bermuda, a British Overseas Territory.
Neither the King nor the Queen has publicly commented on the flag being flown upside down.
However, the incident is the second flag blunder to unfold in connection with the royals’ visit to the U.S.
Ahead of the King and Queen’s arrival, hundreds of national banners were installed around Washington, D.C. to welcome the royals. Included in the sea of British and American emblems were 15 Australian flags.
The Australian flags were hung around posts near the White House and the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. The mistake was quickly fixed, and the flags were removed, a D.C. Department of Transportation official told Reuters.
The Australian flag, which features the Union flag in the upper left corner, is distinguished from the British emblem by a collection of white stars set against a blue background.
