King Charles has outburst over leaking pen in Belfast: ‘I can’t bear this bloody thing’

Given that Charles’s lifelong preparation to become king must have involved extensive media training, it’s odd that he’s recently allowed news cameras to twice catch him losing his temper in a very non-statesmen-like way over pens and ink pots that were placed on desks for him to use.

The latest pen-related outburst occurred Tuesday, hours after Charles was warmly embraced by the people of Belfast, Northern Ireland, and five days after he became king upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, the Daily Mail reported. Charles appeared flustered by ink dripping from a leaking pen as he sat at a desk in Hillsborough Castle toward the end of his visit, trying to sign a guest book.

“I can’t bear this bloody thing!”: King Charles’ signing ceremony at Northern Ireland’s Hillsborough Castle made one thing clear – even royalty can’t escape the frustration of an inadequate pen. pic.twitter.com/nzygNTLslX

— CBS News (@CBSNews) September 13, 2022

Charles initially complained to his wife, Camilla, the queen consort, about signing the wrong date. He then declared, “Oh God, I hate this,” when he realized ink had dripped onto his fingers. He angrily stood up, using a handkerchief to wipe his fingers, as Camilla said, “It’s going everywhere.”

As aides rushed to replace the faulty pen with another for Camilla to use, Charles declared, “I can’t bear this bloody thing. What they do, every stinking time.” He then stalked out as Camilla finished signing the book.

While CBS News generously said that the new king was expressing a common frustration among people when they realize their pen doesn’t work, others took Charles’ outburst as yet another example of why they think he’s pampered, entitled and no replacement for his globally popular mother.

It’s also the second time since the queen’s death that Charles has been caught on camera having difficulty with writing instruments and behaving imperiously with staff, the Daily Mail reported earlier. 

On Saturday, shortly after Charles’ accession to the throne, viewers of the historic event found themselves distracted when the new monarch twice gestured furiously to aides to remove a pot of ink from a small desk on which he had to sign documents, the Daily Mail said.

As Charles notably went to sign the historic Proclamation, he made a face and motioned to an aide to move a pen box from his desk, which viewers agreed was “far too small” for the huge document and stationery.

King Charles motions for an aide to remove his pen box pic.twitter.com/xNObl9MA3R

— Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) September 10, 2022