Queen Camilla’s ‘royal blunder’ next to King Charles during Queen Elizabeth memorial stone ceremony
The royals celebrated the unveiling of a memorial stone dedicated to Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Camilla made a misstep during a ceremony in Edinburgh this week, as she was momentarily confused about her position next to King Charles. It was during the dedication of a memorial stone to Queen Elizabeth II.
The royal couple were attending a private service at St Giles’ Cathedral on Wednesday as part of Holyrood Week.
Charles and Queen Camilla attended to unveil a commemorative slate for the late Queen, who died in September 2022.
The cathedral holds deep significance as the site where more than 33,000 mourners filed past the Queen’s coffin when she lay in state in Scotland.
Queen Camilla’s confusion at Queen Elizabeth’s memorial stone
Just before Reverend Dr. Scott Rennie began his speech, there was a slight mix-up in positioning.
Queen Camilla appeared unsure of where to stand and hesitated before King Charles gently gestured for her to move to the other side before the memorial stone was unveiled. She smiled, stepped aside, and then quickly returned to her original spot.
Cameras captured the moment, and royal watchers were quick to comment online.
“Royal oops, then a moment of history,” one fan posted on social media, alongside a video of the moment.
Despite the drizzly conditions, Charles and Camilla were greeted by crowds gathered outside St Giles’ Cathedral. Inside, they were led to the sacred space near the Holy Table, where the Queen’s coffin had rested in September 2022.
The square memorial stone, carved from sleek black slate, bears the Scottish crown, the late monarch’s ER cypher, and the dates she lay in rest.
The stone was created by Vincent and Roxanne Kindersley of the Cardozo Kindersley workshop in Cambridge, an artisan team behind engraved works in Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral, and the National Gallery.
After the service, Charles and Camilla took time to speak with the craftsmen. The king warmly praised their work, saying another one of their pieces at the National Gallery was “absolutely brilliant.”
Tribute to late queen
During the ceremony, Reverend Dr. Rennie gave a short speech and prayer. He reflected on the lasting impact of Queen Elizabeth II’s life of service.
“Our sincere desire is that this memorial stone will offer the many thousands of visitors from across the world who come to this ancient place of faith a renewed encouragement to live a life of commitment and service to other people and to the common good, as Her Late Majesty did.”
Charles and Camilla stood side-by-side in a moment of silence following the prayer, heads bowed in tribute to the Queen.
Dr. Rennie also noted the symbolic importance of St Giles’ Cathedral, a space deeply woven into Scottish history.
“It has been a great honour and privilege to welcome Their Majesties King Charles and Queen Camilla back to St Giles’ for such a special event,” he said.
“It is fitting that St Giles’, which has been at the heart of Scottish civic and religious life for more than 900 years, was able to host the 33,000 people who came to pay their final respects to Queen Elizabeth.”
Read more: Queen Camilla feels ‘underserving’ of major honour during Scotland trip
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