King Charles III entered Buckingham Palace for the first time as monarch since Queen Elizabeth II’s death — but became confused over which door to walk through.
After shaking hands and greeting onlookers outside the royal residence on Friday, the 73-year-old walked along the perimeter with Queen Consort Camilla Parker Bowles, looking at notes and bouquets of flowers beside the gate.
As the pair approached one gate, Charles then paused, turned around and pointed to the gate behind him.
“He doesn’t seem to know quite which entrance to go in through,” a BBC reporter joked during the livestream. “He’ll get used to that. Wrong door.”
When Charles walked to the correct gate and into the palace, the newscaster noted that it is a “rare move” for royal family members to enter Buckingham Palace “on foot” as they often drive in by motorcade or, on special occasions, ride in on horseback.
Many took to Twitter to poke fun at the king’s mix-up, with one user writing, “The door is to the left, Charles.”
Another pointed out, “King Charles has missed the door to the palace.”
The royal arrived in London after spending the night in Balmoral, Scotland, where Elizabeth died at age 96 on Thursday.
Charles and his family members rushed to the queen’s bedside that morning as her health deteriorated.
After Buckingham Palace announced the end of Elizabeth’s reign, Charles honored his mother with a touching statement.
“The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family,” he wrote. “We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother.
“I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world,” Charles concluded.
Elizabeth, who reigned for 70 years, was briefly hospitalized in October 2021, six months after her husband Prince Philip’s death.
As she continued experiencing mobility issues, canceling engagements due to “discomfort” and using a cane, Charles assumed a greater public role in preparation for his ascension.
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