Britain’s King Charles vented his frustration at a leaky pen yesterday during a signing ceremony in Northern Ireland, the second time in recent days he has shown visible irritation during such proceedings.
The King, visiting Northern Ireland as part of a tour of the United Kingdom to lead mourning for his mother Queen Elizabeth II, was greeted by cheering crowds and welcoming speeches, before delivering his own pledge to the region.
Shortly after, when signing a visitors’ book in front of cameras at Hillsborough Castle near Belfast, Charles reacted in frustration when a pen he was using leaked on his hand.
‘‘Oh god I hate this [pen]!’’ he said, standing up and handing the pen to his wife and Queen Consort Camilla.
‘‘Oh look, it’s going everywhere,’’ Camilla said as the King wiped his fingers.
‘‘I can’t bear this bloody thing... every stinking time,’’ Charles said as he walked away.
Speaking before Charles was made king, one former aide said Charles could be fun, but was also short-tempered and demanding.
At the weekend, when signing documents in London, an irritated Charles gestured for aides to help when a pen holder on the table got in his way.
When completing the documents yesterday he also used the wrong date, before checking with an aide who gave him the correct one.
Clarence House staff may lose jobs
Household staff who served Charles while he was the Prince of Wales have already been told they could lose their jobs, drawing criticism from a labour union that called the move "heartless" before the Queen is even buried.
Charles and Camilla will be moving from Clarence House, his London home for decades, to the monarch's main official residence, Buckingham Palace.
A Clarence House spokesman said operations there had ceased and a consultation process with staff over redundancies had begun.
"Our staff have given long and loyal service and while some redundancies will be unavoidable, we are working urgently to identify alternative roles for the greatest possible number of staff," the spokesman said.
The Guardian newspaper reported that up 100 employees had been told they could lose their jobs, some who had worked there for decades. They include personal servants such as footmen, valets, dressers and cooks, as well as clerical staff.
