King Charles III Pokes Fun At Himself Over Viral Pen Blunder At State Of Nation Address

King Charles III recalled with fondness the pen gaffe that happened just days into his reign during a keynote speech to the City of London on Wednesday, October 18. He made the joke as he praised the positive contribution immigrants have made to British humour.

The 73-year-old poked fun at himself as he recalled his frustration over a leaking fountain pen while signing a guest book during a visit to Hillsborough Castle in Belfast, Northern Ireland on September 13, 2022, just five days after Queen Elizabeth II died and he became monarch.

"The British sense of humour is world-renowned. It is not what we do. It is who we are. Our ability to laugh at ourselves is one of our great national characteristics," the monarch said in his speech posted on the Royal Family's website.

His Majesty then referred to his problems with leaking or troublesome pens as he continued: "Just as well, you may say, given some of the vicissitudes I have faced with frustratingly failing fountain pens this past year!"

King Charles vented out his frustration at a leaky pen at a signing ceremony when he initially wrote down the wrong date on the visitors' book. When it started to leak, he was caught on video looking at the ink on his hand and then expressing his annoyance saying: "Oh God, I hate this" before standing up and handing it to Queen Camilla.

He was later heard commenting: "I can't bear this bloody thing - what they do - every stinking time." An aide quickly handed another pen to his wife.

Similarly, he expressed frustration at a pen holder on the table getting in his way during his proclamation ceremony at St. James's Palace. He angrily signaled at an aid to remove the item so he would have more space on the table to write. The monarch used his own pen during a recent visit to Germany to avoid another pen blunder.

This is not the first time King Charles III quietly made a joke out of the viral pen blunder. He poked fun at the mishap when he alluded at unpredictable pens when he signed a visitors' book at a council meeting in Dunfermline, Scotland in October last year.

Video footage showed him signing and then handing the pen to Queen Camilla and noting with a laugh: "These things are so temperamental." King Charles III and his wife appeared in good spirits at the time, as they marked their first public engagement together in Scotland since the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on September 19 2022.