King Charles and Queen Camilla Were Nearly Welcomed to the U.S. with the Wrong Flag
King Charles and Queen Camilla Were Nearly Welcomed to the U.S. with the Wrong Flag
Staff AuthorMon, April 27, 2026 at 5:51 PM UTC
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King Charles in 2025; Australian flags being replaced in Washington, D.C. on April 24, 2026.Credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty; Andrew Leyden/Getty -
Australian flags were mistakenly displayed in Washington, D.C., ahead of King Charles' state visit
The flags were replaced with the Union Jack
While in the United States, King Charles and Queen Camilla will participate in a slate of events in D.C., New York City and Virginia
King Charles' visit to the United States capital almost started with a major blooper.
On Friday, April 24 — just three days before the monarch was expected to arrive in Washington, D.C. for a four-day trip to the U.S. — social media posts showed Australian flags lining a major thoroughfare of the capital city.
ABC News reporter James Longman posted a video about the mistake on Instagram.
"For about two hours, they put the Australian flag up alongside the Stars and Stripes. ... I think they realized their mistake, and they've replaced them now with the Union Jack," he said in the video.
A worker replaces the Australian flag with the Union Jack on April 24, 2026.Credit: Andrew Leyden/Getty
The national flag of the United Kingdom is the Union Jack, which combines St. George's Cross, St. Andrew's Cross and St. Patrick's Cross to represent the unification of England, Scotland and Ireland. The Australian flag features the Union Jack in the upper corner since Australia is part of the British Commonwealth, making King Charles the country's head of state.
A Department of Transportation official told the Washington Examiner that the erroneous flags were only placed in one area and were "quickly" removed.
“We posted those flags, but it was quickly rectified, and we were able to remove them,” the official reportedly told the outlet.
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A worker replaces an Australian flag with a Union Jack on April 24, 2026.Credit: Andrew Leyden/Getty
King Charles and Queen Camilla are embarking on a state visit to the U.S. this week, timed to the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence from the U.K. The "high-stakes" trip will begin mid-afternoon on Monday, April 27, when the royal couple is expected to arrive in Washington, D.C., before they are welcomed by President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump.
The visit comes at a dramatic time: Just two days prior, gunfire broke out at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Saturday, April 25, causing the president to be rushed from the room. Additionally, Trump has recently butted heads with the U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer over immigration and the war in Iran, among other issues.
President Donald Trump, King Charles and Queen Camilla in Windsor Castle on Sept. 17, 2025Credit: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty
“This is the most high-stakes overseas visit of King Charles' reign, as London and Washington are at odds over everything from the wars in Iran and Ukraine to tariffs and the future of NATO,” former BBC anchor Laura Trevelyan recently told PEOPLE. “The trip will be both a test and a showcase of the King’s considerable diplomatic skills and his reputation as a Trump whisperer.”
In Washington, D.C. King Charles and Queen Camilla will partake in a slate of events including a state dinner, a private tea, a garden party and a ceremonial military review. The King will also follow in his mother's footsteps by becoming the second-ever British monarch to deliver an address to a joint meeting of Congress.
After their time in the capital, the royal pair will continue their U.S. trip with stops in New York City and Virginia. In New York, they will visit One World Trade Center and attend a reception for The King's Trust. In Virginia, they'll meet local residents and community organizations and attend a “block party” in a national park to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.
The King and Queen are then set to head to Bermuda, for King Charles' first trip as monarch to an overseas British territory.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
