After King Charles was seen snapping at an aide in Jersey, how the monarch’s impatient side has reared its head during public appearances

King Charles caused a stir among royal fans during his visit to the Channel Islands this week after he appeared to lose his temper. However, it is not the first time one of the monarch’s heated moments has been caught on camera.

The 75-year-old monarch snapped at an aide who was supposed to help Queen Camilla as she struggled to put on her coat in the wind and rain during her engagements in Jersey on Monday.

It is just one of many ‘spicy’ moments for the royal over the years – including his infamous comments about BBC Royal Correspondent Nicholas Witchell in 2005, when he gently called the journalist a ‘terrible man’ during a press conference and photo opportunity on the ski slopes of Klosters.

In 2022, Charles vented his frustration over a leaking pen while signing the Hillsborough Castle guestbook, telling courtiers he “couldn’t stand the bloody thing”.

Just days earlier, the king had angrily ordered an aide to move an inkwell as he signed documents when he was proclaimed the new king.

Meanwhile, a frustrated King Charles complained last year that “we can never be on time” as he waited in a carriage outside Westminster Abbey for his coronation, lip-readers claimed.

Here, FEMAIL takes a look at Charles’ most fiery moments over the years – played out in front of the whole world…

Camilla’s coat

Charles was angry yesterday at an aide who failed to think to help Queen Camilla when she struggled to put on her coat.

Camilla, who turns 77 today, met the public in St Helier as part of a two-day visit to the Channel Islands with her husband Charles.

At one point, the royal couple braved rain and strong winds as they watched a military parade through the city.

But after setting up a plexiglass umbrella, the queen struggled to get her arm through her coat.

Charles, who was also holding an umbrella, tried to help his wife but turned to an aide for help.

The monarch appeared visibly irritated by the struggle to put on the coat, before the aide helped Her Majesty put her arm through the coat.

Wild wind on the slopes

In 2005, Charles, William and Harry held a short press conference and photo opportunity on the slopes of Klosters.

Surrounded by cameras, journalists and microphones, Nicholas Witchell, the BBC’s Royal Correspondent, asked a familiar question about what the Prince of Wales thought of the upcoming nuptials.

Charles gave a less than helpful reply: “I’m glad you heard about it,” and then sat down with his sons and spoke at length about his true feelings.

“I hate doing this… Damn people. I can’t stand the man. I mean, he’s so awful, he really is. I hate these people.”

However privately Charles thought he was speaking, Charles’ words were picked up by a microphone on the slopes and then broadcast to the world.

The Prince of Wales’ spokesman at the time, Paddy Harverson, later explained the situation this way: ‘Nicholas was in the thick of it when the Prince expressed his frustration with the paparazzi and it boiled over with the first person who asked a question.

“It wasn’t personal. He does regret saying it. He really didn’t want to take it out on Nicholas.”

Leaking pen

In 2022, the King smacked a leaking pen, threatening to ruin his mood, just hours after the then-new monarch had been warmly embraced by the people of Belfast.

Charles, who was at the royal residence of Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland, appeared agitated by dripping ink as he attempted to sign a book towards the end of his visit.

Charles, who had lost his mother, Queen Elizabeth, a few days earlier, complained about the pen he was using to sign his name. He said he “could not bear this bloody thing” and angrily rubbed the ink from his fingers.

The queen later reported that the device was leaking and requested a replacement. The king quickly turned and left the room, flanked by his aides.

The defective instrument was quickly removed and replaced by excited courtiers, after which Camilla herself sat down to sign the book from the historic residence.

The clip opened with Charles asking what the date was as he prepared to sign a guestbook for the cameras.

As the king expressed his frustration when the pen began to falter, he exclaimed, “God, I hate this. [pen]’ as he handed it to the Queen Consort.

He added: ‘I can’t stand this… every time.’

Ink port

A few days before the leaking pen situation, Charles was again caught in a tense moment when the monarch suddenly angrily gestured to one of his aides to remove a pot of ink.

As he went to sign the historic proclamation, the king frantically gestured to an aide to fetch a pen tray from his desk, which onlookers said was “far too small” for the enormous document and stationery.

Despite the seriousness of the moment, viewers still found it funny that the king had trouble with the pen.

Charles asked a coworker to move the box from the table so he could sign the second part of the large document.

The fountain pen set he used to sign the important document was a gift from his sons, Prince Harry and Prince William.

Some viewers joked that the new king had ‘stolen’ the pen after seeing him put it in his pocket and then take it out again.

After the awkward moment, funny comments and memes have already appeared on social media.

According to one person, the table on which the documents were placed was “about big enough to balance a TV dinner.”

Another viewer said: ‘Well that’s the next step. Extraordinary to see. King Charles a bit frustrated with the pen situation.’

Meanwhile, someone said that Charles’ obvious “anger” at the uncomfortable situation for him was “the high point” of signing the Proclamation.

Frustration over the coronation

The royal complained that “we can never be on time” as he waited in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach ahead of his coronation, lip readers claimed in May 2023.

The monarch was captured on camera speaking to Queen Camilla on the bus after they arrived at Westminster Abbey five minutes early and had to wait outside the bus.

Prince William, his wife Kate Middleton and their children Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were late and had to join the King’s procession through the church because they were unable to catch up with him.

Lip-reader Jacqui Press, who had previously viewed footage of Charles during the carriage procession, told MailOnline that she believed he said: ‘I’m worried about the time, I mean, it’s taking longer this time and, well, er, I mean look! I know.’

Another lip reader told Sky News that the king said: ‘We can never be on time. Yes, I am… this is negative. There is always something.’

According to the official order of coronation, the Prince and Princess of Wales would arrive and take their seats before Charles and Camilla.

Instead, they arrived after Charles, meaning the king had to wait in his carriage before finally entering the abbey before his eldest son.

Most of the 2,300 guests – including world leaders, royal dignitaries, celebrities and everyday heroes – had already taken their places in the church two hours before the ceremony started.

Presidential irritation

King Charles appeared to lose patience during their meeting at Windsor Castle last year as he tried to persuade President Joe Biden to go ahead.

Biden appeared reluctant to end his conversation when Charles tried to stop him talking during their inspection of the Welsh Guards at a welcoming ceremony.

Biden grabbed Charles’ arm as they embraced and shook hands, then placed his hand on his back as they sat on his lap.

He also grabbed onto the railing to get on stage for the song Star Spangled Banner, after forcing Charles to wait until his SUV had driven through the castle.

The pair laughed and joked during the formalities and showed each other around the grounds of the historic castle before discussing climate change.

At one point, the monarch tried to let Biden pass while he was talking to one of the guards. The president stood and continued to chat while the king tried, and failed, to let him pass.

Charles then appeared to turn his anger on the guard, after which he walked away with the president.