Charles seemed unfazed by the commotion, but he continued to walk around the eggs that had been splattered on the pavement and chatting with city leaders as he strolled down the street. was in a northern city to unveil the statue of
Britain and the British royal family’s role in the slave trade have come under increasing scrutiny in some countries where the British monarch is still head of state. asked the monarchy to apologize and uphold reparations for slavery.
Charles clearly intends to be actively involved in this topic. During his visit to Leeds on Tuesday, he met with artists involved in a project exploring Britain’s role in slavery. Afterwards, artist and historian Fiona Compton, whose father was St. Lucia’s prime minister, told reporters that Charles “said he was ready to talk about it.”
It’s only been two months since the new king took office, but Wednesday wasn’t the first time he’s faced protests.
Several people were detained to demonstrate in the days following the Queen’s death. A woman has been arrested in Edinburgh, Scotland, where the Queen is lying, for holding a sign with her cursing and the words ‘Abolish the Monarchy’. Another was arrested in Oxford, England, for shouting “Who elected him” as documents were read out formally proclaiming Prince Charles as King. The police response has sparked debate about free speech in the UK.
Wednesday is not the first royal egg-throwing incident.
The Queen was egg-thrown during her royal tour of New Zealand in 1986 by a woman protesting a treaty between Britain and the Maori. The Queen was in a convertible and her pink coat was dripping with eggs.
Wednesday’s egg toss coincides with the release of the fifth series of ‘The Crown’ on Netflix. The timing is awkward for Charles in the very early days of his royal power. The series focuses on his 1990s and revisits the breakdown of his marriage to Princess Diana.
