Washington’s preparations for a royal welcome took an unexpected turn after a flag error briefly stole the spotlight from King Charles’ upcoming visit.
As teams dressed the US capital in ceremonial colors ahead of the monarch’s arrival, officials were left red-faced when several Australian flags were mistakenly raised near the White House instead of the planned Union Jacks.
The mistake reportedly involved about 15 flags installed in key areas near the White House and the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
The confusion came during large-scale preparations across Washington, DC, where streets are being lined with national flags ahead of the four-day state visit marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
While the British and American flags were properly placed along the main ceremonial routes, the inadvertent display of Australian banners on prominent lampposts quickly attracted attention.
Local transportation officials confirmed that the error was corrected shortly after it was detected, and the incorrect flags were quickly removed once the problem was pointed out.
The incident soon sparked a wave of comment online, with social media users joking about the confusion and questioning how such confusion made it past the planning stage.
Others pointed out the irony, pointing out that King Charles also plays a separate constitutional role in Australia.
