King Charles III first entered Buckingham Palace as monarch after Queen Elizabeth II’s death, but became confused as to which door to go 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 next to the gate.
As the pair approached a gate, Charles paused, turned and pointed to another behind him.
“He doesn’t seem to know which entrance to enter through,” a BBC reporter joked during the livestream. “He’ll get used to that. Wrong door.”
When Charles finally walked to the correct gate and entered the palace, the newsreader noted that it is a “rare move” for members of the royal family to enter “on foot”, as they often drive in motorcades or, on special occasions, with horse.
Many took to Twitter to poke fun at the confusion of the new king, with one user writes“The door is on the left, Charles.”
Another pointed it out“King Charles has missed the door to the palace.”
The royal arrived in London after spending a night at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, where the Queen died on Thursday at the age of 96.
Charles and his relatives had rushed to the queen’s bed that morning when her health deteriorated.
After Buckingham Palace announced the end of Elizabeth’s historic 70-year reign, Charles honored his mother with a touching statement.
“The death of my beloved mother, Her Majesty the Queen, is a moment of greatest sorrow for me and all members of my family,” he wrote. “We deeply mourn the passing of a beloved Sovereign and a dearly beloved Mother.
“I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the rich and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world,” Charles concluded.
The Queen was briefly hospitalized in October 2021, six months after the death of her husband Prince Philip.
As she continued to experience mobility issues in recent months, canceling appointments due to “inconvenience” and using a cane, Charles took on an increased public role in preparation for his ascension.