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King Charles III showed his unflappable side when eggs were thrown at him and his wife Queen Camilla on Wednesday.
The King, 73, appeared unfazed as several eggs came within a few inches of the couple while they were on a walkabout in York. The couple was at the Micklegate Bar, a historic gateway in the northern English city where the monarch traditionally enters, when the eggs were thrown.
A protester — who reportedly called out, "This country was built on the blood of slaves" — was detained by four police officers, according to the Northern Echo.
King Charles was seen on video looking down as one egg whizzed past his face and splattered on the ground. Queen Camilla, 75, turned toward the direction of the egg thrower and briefly looked concerned. Charles continued with the conversation he was having before he and his wife turned and walked towards the crowd to continue their walkabout.
The King's personal protection officers formed a close shield behind him, and the crowd reacted with cries of "God save the King" and "hip, hip hooray."
A group of police officers as later seen apprehending a man, initially watched closely by a member of the royal protection team.
Tim Rooke/Shutterstock Queen Camilla and King Charles
"About five eggs he'd managed to send," witness Kim Oldfield told the BBC. "Camilla sort of flinched a little bit when the booing started, but [police] quelled it really quickly. Just a shame they spoilt what was a lovely moment."
King Charles
JAMES GLOSSOP/POOL/AFP via Getty Images King Charles
King Charles and Queen Camilla are in York for a two-day visit to the county in the north of England. On Wednesday, they will unveil a statue dedicated to Charles' late mother, Queen Elizabeth, at York Minster. It will be the first statue to be installed since the historic monarch's death in September.
An egg that was thrown in the direction of Britain's King Charles III during a ceremony at Micklegate Bar
JAMES GLOSSOP/POOL/AFP via Getty Images Egg thrown at King Charles
In a speech, King Charles said, "My wife and I are deeply touched to have been asked to unveil this statue to my beloved mother."
"When this statue was first planned five years ago, during a reign of unprecedented duration and achievement, it was intended as a celebration of the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee," he explained. "Now, as we have witnessed, with great sadness, the passing of that reign, it is unveiled in her memory, as a tribute to a life of extraordinary service and devotion."
He added, "The late Queen was always vigilant for the welfare of her people during her life. Now, her image will watch over what will become Queen Elizabeth Square, for centuries to come — a constant example of the duty and care for others, and for our community, which is the calling and the duty we all share."
Charles and Camilla also met Jason, a visually impaired boy who got to hold the couple's hands.
The City of York Council wrote on Twitter, "Jason said it he felt 'calm, happy and excited' and got to hold their hands."
Both King Charles and Queen Camilla accessorized with poppy pins during their outing. Each November, the red poppy pins become a key piece of the royal family's wardrobe. The poppy has been used since 1921 to commemorate military members who have died in wars. The red flower is primarily associated with the U.K. and Commonwealth countries for Remembrance Day on November 11.
The poppy symbol is believed to have come from the poem "In Flanders Fields" by John McCrae, a poem about World War I. The opening stanza reads:
In Flanders fields the poppies blowBetween the crosses, row on row,That mark our place; and in the skyThe larks, still bravely singing, flyScarce heard amid the guns below.
In the U.K., the pins are sold by the Royal British Legion to help raise money for veterans.
