Charles and that “bloody” pen

[nonono1]

The clip of Charles with the leaking pen is an interesting insight into how the royals behave and how they are treated by their seemingly very obsequious staff. Is Charles’ behaviour reasonable or do you think he’s kicking up an unnecessary fuss? Interested to hear other people’s perspectives really because I’ve never seen a clip like this before.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11206531/King-Charles-III-awkward-moment-pen.html

There's an old clip going round with Paul Burrell discussing him, seems Charles is always a horrid person to deal with.

Not hard, seeing as he's never worked before.

He's having to public ally grieve- no privacy, and perform his duties as king. I'd imagine if everyone who lost their mother has to do it oublically and be scrutinised would have moments they'd be perceived as being ratty....

I feel bad for Charles in what he is experiencing right now. Yes, he has prepared for this but they are all human. How much sleep have they had? They have been traveling through the UK. They are emotional because their mother/grandmother just died. One thing I am noticing from posts here on MN is that so few people seem to allow others, especially the royal family, to be human. They are all human beings, just like the rest of us.

When my dad died last spring, I went through a range of different emotions. Sadness, impatience, anger, extreme exhaustion. Maybe that helps me be more compassionate for what the royals are going through right now, I don't know.

Who the fuck really cares of Charles is difficult? Or impatient? Or spoiled? Are you having to spend time around him?

I just hope that when those who are judging others can absorb the fall from their pedestals. I expect at some point in the future the rest of the world may hear a huge splat when you all fall.

Out of interest, who has determined that he does all of these visits to parliaments in Scotland, England, Ireland and Wales now? Is it a written rule that they have to be done before the funeral? Why couldn't they wait until afterwards?

I agree that we are starting to see the real Charles a bit.

Apparently, William also has a terrible temper, but he’s very careful with his PR image.

I see the staff are being blamed. It's not their fault Charles got the date wrong and that's why he had his little tantrum. Seems to me his annoyance was displaced onto the pen (was it even leaking at all or did it break while he was fiddling with it after being embarrassed?) so he could make it someone else's fault. He seems very unpleasant, as did his son at the initial signing when he angrily gestured for a pen instead of picking up the one Charles clumsily knocked onto the floor.

I thought Charles pocketed the pen at the first signing. It would be the sort of thing I’d do absently mindedly. I didn’t think William looked angry at all.

Charles does look stressed but it has been a lot for him. My parents are the same age and they’d struggle.

I'm sure he's had some long, upsetting and stressful days recently, and he is in his 70s. However, lots of other people have long, upsetting and stressful days without waking every day in luxurious and extremely comfortable surroundings, someone running a bath for you, setting out your clothes for you, bringing you food and drink and so on.

There should be a Lord Chamberlain of the Pens so this sort of disaster doesn’t happen. And if it does Lord Fingerwipe should step in to clean up the royal digits before exiting backwards to a fanfare of trumpets.

Totally agree with this. No one is forcing the role on him. It’s not obligatory to be king. He could just let William take over but his ego is way too fragile to allow that.

I think the real Charles has always been known to be like this. He has his obsequious minions put toothpaste on his toothbrush ffs 🙄

Totally agree.
How many of us could manage to do what he has done in the last few days at his age and clearly feeling very upset? It’s inhumane. Princess Anne looks utterly heartbroken and desperately tired too. By the funeral they will be on their knees.

That’s not the way the monarchy works.
Its not about ego or just deciding not to to do your ‘duty’ because you can’t be bothered.

He’s known for working very hard actually. His sons gave an interview a few years ago where they complained they see very little of him because he works into the evening late nearly every night.

I think it’s something and nothing and is yet another sign of the way we’re encouraged to have an odd, obsessive response to the RF. I kicked a photocopier yesterday. Luckily no cameras around.

I’m sure he is and that’s totally understandable - but I can’t imagine Queen Elizabeth behaving in that way?

Oh FFS, they are two different people. This might blow your mind but people react differently to the situations. 😳

I think he gets a pass this week as his mother has just died. However if he continues to behave like that in public, support for him will wane very quickly, William or Anne should have a quiet word.

@Mumspair1 I suspect we’re going to get a lot of ‘Queen Elizabeth wouldn’t have done it like that’ in the near future! Brace yourself 😀

A leaking pen is very irritating!!

He is under a huge amount of scrutiny and I guess from the royal perspective, it isn’t difficult to check the pen is fully functioning.

As he was signing an important document I kind of feel the same, checking the pen was working properly should be part of the prep.

I agree with this. But, I found it worse when he was signing the King's Proclamation or whatever it was... and he was really irritable and annoyed that there was an inkwell in the way of a piece of paper and was flapping his hands at servants to move it 4 inches. He wouldn't move it himself. His face at the end of this skirmish was pure anger. All I hope is, this is just stress and not a sign of things to come.

I honestly think these people have so much deference all the time by strings of servants, they aren't able to cope with picking an object up and move it a couple of inches

This reminds me of reading about Andrew expecting a servant to come up several floors to open his curtains.

A computer generated fake video. AI technology has got so good that it can produce very convincing fake videos. It's a real risk for democracy and future of the media, fake news etc.

People should be informed about this or the risk becomes a real threat

@Mumspair1 I suspect we’re going to get a lot of ‘Queen Elizabeth wouldn’t have done it like that’ in the near future! Brace yourself

The Queen was very good at the "social graces" and making sure things appeared to go smoothly. That smile when she wanted to do something for her.
This clip is quite a good example.

King Charles is a bit more grumpy and doesn't keep up appearances as well. Which, yes will create lots of occasions where he's compared unfavourably.

I do feel sorry for him this week, it must have been such a tough time for him.

Can you find an example where the event was actually stressful, rather than cutting a cake?