'Not Our King' Graffiti Gets Removed Ahead of King Charles' Latest Visit: 'What Are You Hiding?'

These anti-monarchy slogans were painted in bold red on the walls of St Asaph Cathedral in Wales.

Even before the British monarchy was hit by scandals involving Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, it had been unpopular among some sections of society. King Charles has faced public protest during his royal outings, and demonstrators use anything from anti-monarchy placards to slogans. However, such moments are often managed swiftly, allowing the royal engagements to proceed as per the plan. In a recent turn of events, workers came together to erase bold 'Not Our King' graffiti just a few hours before King Charles and Queen Camilla were due to arrive in North Wales for a ceremony.

These anti-monarchy slogans were painted in bold red on the walls of St Asaph Cathedral, where today's Royal Maundy Service took place. As the act took place just a while before the senior royals arrived, the staff was seen trying its best to remove the paint in the morning. Along with this, a tarpaulin was also draped over some parts of the site to be safe against any further action by protesters, as reported by GB News. Not just this, a small group of protesters was also spotted among the massive crowds of well-wishers who gathered outside the cathedral to welcome the King and the Queen.

These protestors held yellow flags from the Republic, which is an anti-monarchy group, and were separated from the larger crowd using barriers. As reported by The Mirror, the group also held a banner featuring images of King Charles, ex-Prince Andrew, and Prince William, alongside the message, “What are you hiding? Royal Epstein inquiry now." Charles has frequently been facing such protests over the last few months, as Andrew's legal controversies continue. The former Prince was said to have past links with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Meanwhile, it's worth noting that this year’s Royal Maundy Service was unique, as it was held in Wales for the first time since 1982. During the ceremony, the monarch distributed Maundy Money to 77 men and 77 women, with the number of recipients matching his age. This special honor is given to people who have shown outstanding dedication to Christian service and made meaningful contributions to their communities. One of those receivers was 81-year-old Jean Carthy, from Towyn. While talking to the media, Carthy revealed that she believed it was a scam when she received the nomination letter.

Sharing her surprised reaction, she said, "Even this morning I was wondering why I was there. It was just so, so special, especially because it was the first time it had been in North Wales. He gave me the purses and said ‘thank you for the work you do,’ and that was really something." Just before the King and Queen's arrival, Bishop of Norwich, the Right Rev Graham Usher, spoke to recipients and said, “It’s an act of humility on the part of the monarch in which a small representative group of people who have lived an exemplary life of service to their church and community is honored. Enjoy this moment. It’s your moment.”