5 Times King Charles Blundered and the Palace Had to Step In

King Charles, as the monarch, has a reputation for being measured, professional, and careful about what he says and does. But that does not mean he has always gotten it right. The King has found himself at the center of a few awkward and controversial moments over the years that have put the royal family under scrutiny. And in some cases, the Palace has had to step in to explain, defend, or clarify what happened.

Charles once found himself facing questions as heir to the throne when The Sunday Times reported that he had personally accepted $3.4 million in cash from former Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani. The money, handed over across three private meetings between 2011 and 2015, reportedly arrived in a suitcase, a holdall, and Fortnum & Mason carrier bags. As per the BBC, Clarence House quickly stepped in and issued a statement saying, “Charitable donations received from Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim were passed immediately to one of the Prince's charities, which carried out the appropriate governance and assured us that all the correct processes were followed.” Ultimately, the Charity Commission took no further action as it had no concerns over the charity’s governance.

Charles found himself having to deal with an awkward situation in August 2026 after reports revealed that his charity had been paying Camilla’s sister, Annabel Elliot, for consultancy work. Elliot had previously worked for the Duchy of Cornwall while Charles was Prince of Wales, but Prince William ended that arrangement after taking over the estate. What sparked debate was that The King’s Foundation had not disclosed Elliot’s consultancy in its related-party transactions. As per Towns & Country, the Foundation had to thereafter issue a statement addressing the arrangement, saying, “Mrs Elliot provides design expertise to our retail and brand team across product and commercial partnerships. This arrangement is not secret.”

Charles’ political opinions became difficult to ignore when a series of letters he had written to government ministers before becoming King were made public in May 2015. The so-called 'Black Spider' memos, written between 2004 and 2005, showed him pushing ministers on issues including farming, healthcare, the environment, and even military spending, which accused him of meddling in government affairs. The letters also raised questions about how politically neutral he would be once he became King. A Clarence House spokesperson defended Charles at the time, saying (via Sky News), “The publication of private letters can only inhibit his ability to express the concerns and suggestions which have been put to him in the course of his travels and meetings.”

Charles’ meeting with Robert Mugabe at Pope John Paul II’s funeral in 2005 left Clarence House having to move quickly after the two were photographed shaking hands. Mugabe had been subject to an EU travel ban over his government’s record of human-rights abuses, which made the image a PR disaster for Charles. “The Prince of Wales was caught by surprise and not in a position to avoid shaking Mr Mugabe's hand,” the statement read, as per The Guardian. It continued, “The Prince finds the current Zimbabwean regime abhorrent. He has supported the Zimbabwe Defence and Aid Fund, which works with those being oppressed by the regime.”

Charles’ views on China landed him in hot water in 1999 when he skipped a state banquet at the Chinese Embassy in London during President Jiang Zemin’s visit. While Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip attended, Palace officials said Charles had a private engagement and denied that his absence was intended as a snub. According to The Independent, a Palace spokeswoman revealed in a statement, “The Prince went to the banquet on Tuesday, and he had a private engagement tonight. It is not a snub.” A Buckingham Palace spokesperson also pointed out that Charles had attended the banquet with Jiang earlier that week and had never been scheduled to attend the following night’s event.