Union flag gaffe overshadows King Charles and Queen Camilla's US visit at Arlington
King Charles III and Queen Camilla's US state visit was overshadowed when the Union flag was displayed upside down by US military personnel during a solemn ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery
An embarrassing blunder has cast a shadow over a pivotal moment of King Charles III's visit to the US.
King Charles and Queen Camilla were attending a wreath-laying tribute at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia when the mistake was spotted - with a Union flag displayed upside down during a solemn military ceremony.
The occasion marked the conclusion of the King's US state visit and saw him lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier - a monument built in 1921 which honours unidentified American soldiers lost in war.
Social media users were quick to notice the gaffe as American soldiers marched in behind the King with the Union flag hanging upside down.
Sky News US correspondent Mark Stone, posting on X, said: "Rather a diplomatic gaff[e] by the Americans here. The Union flag is upside down at the Arlington Cemetery event.", reports the Mirror.
The Union flag's slightly uneven appearance is down to a historic design technique known as "counterchanging".
The flag was created by combining the St Andrew's Cross and St Patrick's Cross, carefully arranged so neither nation appeared more dominant than the other. To achieve this, the diagonal stripes were deliberately offset.
The red saltire of Saint Patrick doesn't sit evenly on top of the white of the Scottish saltire - instead, the colours alternate, creating the flag's distinctive, slightly lopsided pattern. When flown correctly, the border white stripe must sit above the red in the top corner nearest the flagpole. Donald Trump bid farewell to Charles and Camilla today as they wrapped up the final day of their state visit to the US.
The US president described Charles as "the greatest king in my book" as he stood outside the White House and posed for photographs. He also referred to the couple as "great people" saying: "We want people like that in our country. They were really great."
On Tuesday, Charles was given a standing ovation after delivering a 28-minute speech to Congress, with numerous observers noting a subtle dig at Trump. The King's address focused on sustained international cooperation as he called for "unyielding resolve" in supporting Ukraine and emphasising the importance of the NATO alliance.
His address also praised the UK-US special relationship and was met with a standing ovation, with many describing it as the perfect example of "soft power" diplomacy.
Following his state visit, the King will travel to Bermuda to undertake his first royal visit as monarch to a British overseas territory, before returning to the UK.