King Charles grumbled “We can never be on time” and “There’s always something” at the start of his coronation, a lip reader has claimed.
The monarch and Camilla arrived at Westminster Abbey early and were forced to wait outside, sitting in their diamond jubilee state coach.
The Prince and The Princess of Wales – accompanied by Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis – were reportedly late, and forced to join the king’s procession through Westminster Abbey, instead of entering before Charles.
A lip reader for Sky News said that Charles complained: “We can never be on time. Yes, I’m … This is a negative. There’s always something … This is boring,” Charles said during the tense buildup to his coronation.
Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, the bishop of Chelmsford, said on Saturday outside Saint Margaret’s church next to the abbey that there were a couple of hiccups.
“There were one or two things that didn’t go strictly to plan,” she said. “I’m not going to embarrass anyone in particular.”
William and Kate were due to arrive at 10.45am, while Charles and Camilla’s arrival had been set for 10.53am in the carefully organized schedule, planned months in advance.
It is not the first time Charles has shown an outburst of emotion during stressful situations in his reign as king.
While signing a visitors’ book at Hillsborough Castle, shortly after Queen Elizabeth died, he got upset at a pen after it appeared to leak, telling aides: “I can’t bear this bloody thing”.
Charles could be heard in a video clip asking the date, before standing up in frustration.
Camilla, who was given the pen, said: “It’s going everywhere,” before the pair wiped their hands.
The coronation celebrations will continue with a concert on Sunday night as musical acts including Gary Barlow and Nicole Scherzinger perform at Windsor Castle from 8pm.
