Have it your way — or don’t. King Charles III wasn’t interested when a fan offered him a paper Burger King crown as a gift.
The monarch, 74, was greeting onlookers during a walkabout in Berlin, Germany, on Wednesday, March 29, when one person tried to give him one of the fast food chain’s famous paper crowns. “That’s for you, if you want it,” the fan said after shaking the king’s hand, in a Twitter video shared by a Daily Mail reporter.
“I’m alright,” the U.K. native said with a smile as he continued down the line.
Earlier this month, Charles’ wife, Queen Consort Camilla, was given her own Burger King crown during a visit to the U.K. town of Colchester, but unlike her husband, she accepted the unusual present. “Oh, lovely, that’s very nice of you. Burger King!” the former Duchess of Cornwall, 75, replied after receiving the gag gift.
A viral TikTok video captured the moment Camilla accepted the crown from Liberty Williams, who told her “it was a last-minute gift.” Williams and her friends were all wearing their own Burger King crowns for the occasion.
“Just met the royals,” read the video’s caption. “Charles was on the other side. We were all wearing Burger King hats and [Camilla] loved it.”
One commenter at the time noted that Camilla’s acceptance of the crown means Charles is “now canonically the Burger King,” but Wednesday’s events may have put the kibosh on that theory.
Burger King gag aside, the former Duke of Cornwall is set to be officially crowned in just a few weeks. Charles became king immediately following the death of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in September 2022, but his coronation will not take place until Saturday, May 6.
Charles will be crowned with St Edward’s Crown, which was used to crown his grandfather George VI in 1937 and his mother in 1953.
“St Edward’s Crown, the historic centrepiece of the Crown Jewels, has been removed from the Tower of London to allow for modification work to begin ahead of the Coronation on Saturday 6th May 2023,” Buckingham Palace announced in December 2022. “As per tradition, The King will be crowned with St Edward’s Crown during the Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey. The King will also wear the Imperial State Crown during the Service.”
One day after the service, Charles and Camilla will attend a Coronation Concert held at Windsor Castle on Sunday, May 7.
“Produced, staged and broadcast live by the BBC and BBC Studios, the Coronation Concert will bring global music icons and contemporary stars together in celebration of the historic occasion,” the palace explained in a January press release. “The concert will see a world-class orchestra play interpretations of musical favorites fronted by some of the world’s biggest entertainers, alongside performers from the world of dance. The performances will be supported by staging and effects located on the Castle’s East Lawn and will also feature a selection of spoken word sequences delivered by stars of stage and screen.”
