His Nibs isn’t happy! King’s pens pique
HE signed with a flourish, showing off a new ‘Charles R’ signature after being formally proclaimed King – but it was not without a grimace.
King Charles III could not disguise his irritation as he gestured to a footman to remove an ornate pen tray from a somewhat cramped desk. His animated reaction provided a contrast to the way his famously inscrutable mother might have responded to the inconvenience.
The King is known to carry his own fountain pen for signing visitors’ books – and so had no need for the pen tray.
He used an ink pot given by his sons to sign one copy of the proclamation at St James’s Palace. But after moving the ink pot to one side he still found himself without enough room to sign a second copy of the large document, so gestured for the pen tray to be removed.
When Charles returned to sign two final proclamations the tray had returned, after privy counsellors had used its pens, and the King once again had to gesture for it to be removed.