Good trip? King Charles did well to stay upright after stumbling in Kenya. But he’s not the only royal to flirt with very public embarrassment, as these pictures (and video clips!) show…
They’re past masters of decorous public appearance.
So it’s all the more notable when the royals do – just very occasionally – lose a little of their dignity.
No matter how well prepared they are, it can happen to anyone at all…
King Charles
King Charles came close to catastrophe last week as he tripped on a roll of artificial grass during his visit to Kenya with Queen Camilla.
Charles was being guided from one artificial walkway to another at a Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery in Nairobi when he caught a foot under one of the mats.
King Charles nearly took a tumble during his visit to Kenya as he tripped on a roll of artificial grass during a trip to a cemetery on Wednesday
Charles and Camilla were visiting the Kariokor Commonwealth War Graves cemetery in Nairobi
Footage shows the 74-year-old briefly losing his footing as Camilla, 76, reaches out to grab him.
He quickly rights himself and smoothly puts on his sunglasses to continue the walk.
Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales
The usually elegant Kate Middleton suffered a rare slip-up as she stumbled getting into her car at a royal engagement.
The Princess, 41, was joined by her husband, Prince William, 41, as they attended a charity event in London for their volunteer text support service Shout in September 2019.
The Princess of Wales, 41, suffered a stumble on her way into her royal car after attending a volunteer celebration event with the charity Shout with Prince William in November 2019
William reached out to help Kate after she appeared to trip over on her way into her car
A the royals left the Troubadour White City Theatre, Kate, who was wearing black block heels, appeared to trip on her way into the car.
William could be seen reaching out a hand to support her, but there was no need because the mother-of-three quickly recovered, and the two shared a grin as they ducked into their car to leave.
Princess Anne
When a man sees a princess in distress, it is only right that he dashes to her aid.
However, when the Princess Royal slipped and fell while on a walkabout in front of crowds in Guernsey, bailiff, Geoffrey Rowland, fell victim to Anne’s notorious scoldings when he rushed to help her to her feet.
‘No, don’t do that, thank you. Grabbing me round my… won’t help,’ Princess Anne said. ‘I’m perfectly capable of getting myself up.’
Princess Anne slipped and fell during visit to Guernsey in June 2007, but snapped at bailiff, Geoffrey Rowland, when he went to help her up
An onlooker said: ‘Princess Anne looked furious. To fall over in public is bad enough but what really annoyed her was being grabbed. The poor bailiff was trying to do the right thing but got a ticking-off.’
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh
Back in 2017, the Princess of Wales was seated in a carriage at Ascot when Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, stepped into the vehicle and lost her balance, falling right into Kate’s hands.
Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, lost her balance and fell into Kate’s lap at Ascot in 2017
Kate’s mouth opened in shock as she braced for Prince Edward’s wife’s fall.
Thankfully, both women were then seen laughing off the incident, while William and Edward smiled in the background.
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
If there’s one royal happy to fall over without embarrassment, it’s Prince Harry.
Prince Harry’s three-day tour of Brazil during the last leg of his solo Diamond Jubilee tour in March 2012 involved a display of his energetic style and sporting skills.
The then 27-year-old royal kicked off his Brazil tour with a one-mile charity run for Sports Relief with local families on Flamengo beach in Rio De Janeiro.
Prince Harry fell to the ground during a game of rugby when attending a Sports Day at Flamengo Beach, Rio de Janeiro, in March 2012
Following this, Harry played with a group of local school children in a game of tough rugby. The Prince appeared to have thoroughly enjoyed the game and threw himself enthusiastically into the game – and onto the sandy floor.
Princess Diana
Diana, the late Princess of Wales, proved she was just like the rest of us when she fell up the stairs walking up to the plane in 1991 during a visit to Pakistan.
After reaching out and grabbing the handrail to steady herself after tripping, the People’s Princess’ went from bad to worse when her flight was delayed for an hour because of a rainstorm.
Princess Diana tripped whilst boarding an aircraft at Islamabad Airport following her royal tour of Pakistan in September 1991
Zara Tindall
Zara Tindall took a tumble from her horse during the Burghley Horse Trials while husband Mike and daughters Mia and Lena watched back in September 2019.
The 41-year-old daughter of Princess Anne was competing at the event in Stamford, Lincolnshire, when she fell during a showjumping event.
Zara Tindall, 42, fell from her horse at the Leaf Pit jump while competing at the five-star equestrian event in September 2019
Sheikha Moza bint Nasser Al-Missned
Emir of Qatar’s wife, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned stumbled as she caught the heel of one of her shoes in a drain cover during a visit to Madrid, Spain, in April 2011.
Her husband and Spain’s former King, Juan Carlos, who were walking behind Sheikha Moza, did not appear to react as the graceful woman steadied herself with just one shoe left on her feet.
Emir of Qatar’s wife, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al Missned, stumbled as she caught her heel in a drain cover during a a visit to Madrid, Spain, in April 2011
Prince Laurent of Belgium
Prince Laurent of Belgium took a tumble on the red carpet as he arrived for the wedding of Prince Albert II of Monaco and Charlene Wittstock in the main courtyard at the Prince’s Palace in July 2011.
Thankfully, the royal was helped to his feet by a guard and was ready to resume the festivities of the Roman-Catholic ceremony in an instant.
Prince Laurent of Belgium took a tumble on the red carpet as he arrived for the wedding of Prince Albert II of Monaco and Charlene Wittstock in July 2011
Queen Sofia of Spain
Queen Sofia of Spain learnt the hard way that heels, a long gown and stairs are never a good combination.
When arriving for a state dinner at the White House in 2000, the Spanish royal took a tumble, with President Bill Clinton and Sofia’s husband, King Juan Carlos, swiftly reaching out to help.
Former First Lady Hillary Clinton could be spotted looking on in concern.
Queen Sofia of Spain tripped over her long dress on the stairs when arriving for a state dinner at the White House in 2000
Princess Charlotte
While Princess Eugenie’s 2018 wedding was a modern-day fairytale, the blustery weather caused a bit of a problem for the younger members of the bridal party – including Princess Charlotte, daughter of the Prince and Princess of Wales.
The wind was so strong that morning that many guests struggled to keep their fascinators on their heads, and it almost knocked over three-year-old Princess Charlotte.
On the day of Princess Eugenie’s wedding in October 2018, the wind was so strong that it almost knocked over Princess Charlotte, who was then three
As they walked up the steps of St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, a sharp gust took them by surprise. Thankfully, her older second cousin Lady Louise Windsor was there to lend a helping get her back on her feet.
Prince Philip
After colliding with one of his teammates, Prince Philip, fell to the ground during an attempt at bicycle polo in August 1967
After colliding with one of his teammates, Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, fell off his bicycle during an attempt at bicycle polo in August 1967.
A good sport, he brushed off the tumble with a laugh.
