“ONE WRONG FLAG… ONE OMINOUS SIGN?” — MYSTERY SURROUNDS MAJOR FLAG MIX-UP JUST BEFORE KING CHARLES ARRIVES IN THE U.S. Just days before what’s being called one of the most high-stakes state visits, an unbelievable mistake unfolded in Washington, D.C.: Australian flags were suddenly displayed along a major route meant to welcome the British monarch — instead of the Union Jack. Within hours, the images went viral, leaving many wondering: was this just a simple error… or something more unsettling?

King Charles and Queen Camilla Were Nearly Welcomed to the U.S. with the Wrong Flag

The King and Queen are embarking on a four-day visit to the United States this week.

King Charles III visits the Sandringham Flower Show 2025 at Sandringham House on July 23, 2025 in King's Lynn, England; Local DC government workers replace the Australian flag with the Union Jack along 17th Street next to the White House on April 24, 2026 in Washington, DC. The DC government mistakenly placed both flags around the White House in preparation of King Charles visit to Washington on April 27, 2026.
King Charles in 2025; Australian flags being replaced in Washington, D.C. on April 24, 2026. Credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty; Andrew Leyden/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

  • Australian flags were mistakenly displayed in Washington, D.C., ahead of King Charles’ state visit
  • The flags were replaced with the Union Jack
  • While in the United States, King Charles and Queen Camilla will participate in a slate of events in D.C., New York City and Virginia

King Charles’ visit to the United States capital almost started with a major blooper.

On Friday, April 24 — just three days before the monarch was expected to arrive in Washington, D.C. for a four-day trip to the U.S. — social media posts showed Australian flags lining a major thoroughfare of the capital city.

ABC News reporter James Longman posted a video about the mistake on Instagram.

“For about two hours, they put the Australian flag up alongside the Stars and Stripes. … I think they realized their mistake, and they’ve replaced them now with the Union Jack,” he said in the video.

Local DC government workers replace the Australian flag with the Union Jack along 17th Street next to the White House on April 24, 2026 in Washington, DC. The DC government mistakenly placed both flags around the White House in preparation of King Charles visit to Washington on April 27, 2026.
A worker replaces the Australian flag with the Union Jack on April 24, 2026. Andrew Leyden/Getty

The national flag of the United Kingdom is the Union Jack, which combines St. George’s Cross, St. Andrew’s Cross and St. Patrick’s Cross to represent the unification of England, Scotland and Ireland. The Australian flag features the Union Jack in the upper corner since Australia is part of the British Commonwealth, making King Charles the country’s head of state.

A Department of Transportation official told the Washington Examiner that the erroneous flags were only placed in one area and were “quickly” removed.

“We posted those flags, but it was quickly rectified, and we were able to remove them,” the official reportedly told the outlet.

Local DC government workers replace the Australian flag with the Union Jack along 17th Street next to the White House on April 24, 2026 in Washington, DC. The DC government mistakenly placed both flags around the White House in preparation of King Charles visit to Washington on April 27, 2026.
A worker replaces an Australian flag with a Union Jack on April 24, 2026. Andrew Leyden/Getty

King Charles and Queen Camilla are embarking on a state visit to the U.S. this week, timed to the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence from the U.K. The “high-stakes” trip will begin mid-afternoon on Monday, April 27, when the royal couple is expected to arrive in Washington, D.C., before they are welcomed by President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump.

The visit comes at a dramatic time: Just two days prior, gunfire broke out at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday, April 25, causing the president to be rushed from the room. Additionally, Trump has recently butted heads with the U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer over immigration and the war in Iran, among other issues.

US First Lady Melania Trump, US President Donald Trump, Britain's King Charles III and Britain's Queen Camilla stand on the dias during a ceremonial welcome in the Quadrangle at Windsor Castle
President Donald Trump, King Charles and Queen Camilla in Windsor Castle on Sept. 17, 2025. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty

“This is the most high-stakes overseas visit of King Charles’ reign, as London and Washington are at odds over everything from the wars in Iran and Ukraine to tariffs and the future of NATO,” former BBC anchor Laura Trevelyan recently told PEOPLE. “The trip will be both a test and a showcase of the King’s considerable diplomatic skills and his reputation as a Trump whisperer.”

In Washington, D.C. King Charles and Queen Camilla will partake in a slate of events including a state dinner, a private tea, a garden party and a ceremonial military review. The King will also follow in his mother’s footsteps by becoming the second-ever British monarch to deliver an address to a joint meeting of Congress.

After their time in the capital, the royal pair will continue their U.S. trip with stops in New York City and Virginia. In New York, they will visit One World Trade Center and attend a reception for The King’s Trust. In Virginia, they’ll meet local residents and community organizations and attend a “block party” in a national park to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.

The King and Queen are then set to head to Bermuda, for King Charles’ first trip as monarch to an overseas British territory.

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