**King Charles III Pokes Fun at His Infamous Pen Debacle**
King Charles. JANE BARLOW/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
King Charles III is moving on from his past struggles with fountain pens, and he’s even making light of the situation. During a recent appearance in Scotland, the 75-year-old monarch quipped, “I’m hoping that my pen is going to work. It doesn’t usually.”
The king was given a tour of Forsinard Flows, a nature reserve in Scotland that was recently named a Unesco world heritage site, on Wednesday. When he was encouraged to sign the guest book, Charles quickly pulled out a silver pen from his jacket pocket and made the humorous comment.
He also ensured that the ink wouldn’t fade, explaining that people have sent guest books back in the past for him to sign again. This isn’t the first time Charles has had issues with writing implements. In fact, his struggles with pens have become a long-standing joke.
Prior to becoming king, Charles held the position of heir apparent to the British throne for seven decades, serving his country as the Prince of Wales.
In September 2022, Charles went viral during a trip to Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland. He was filmed saying, “Oh, God, I hate this pen” while signing a book, before handing it to his wife, Queen Camilla. The monarch continued to express his frustration, stating that the ink leaks “every stinking time.”
This past May, Charles proved that he has a sense of humor about the situation when he gave The Parker Pen Company an official endorsement. The American luxury pen company was one of 144 companies to receive a Royal Warrant of Appointment.
Charles’ public appearance on Wednesday is one of few that the king has made since announcing his cancer diagnosis earlier this year. In February, Buckingham Palace announced that Charles had undergone a hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, and subsequent diagnostic tests identified a form of cancer.
At the time, it was revealed that Charles had “commenced a schedule of regular treatments” and was briefly stepping back from public-facing duties. However, he will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual.