King Charles has found himself at the centre of an unexpectedly awkward viral moment after footage captured him appearing frustrated during an official engagement in Antigua and Barbuda.

The monarch was attending celebrations marking the Caribbean nation's 45th anniversary of independence alongside Queen Camilla when an unexpected change in the weather disrupted proceedings.

Video footage of the incident quickly circulated online, with viewers noticing the King's gestures towards members of his team as the situation unfolded.

Now, a professional lipreader has analysed the exchange and offered her interpretation of what Charles said, including a pointed question directed towards a royal aide.

What happened to King Charles during the royal engagement?

The incident occurred during independence anniversary celebrations in Antigua and Barbuda, where Charles and Camilla were attending an outdoor event.

As the royal couple stood at the venue, a sudden heavy downpour began, catching those present off guard.

Both Charles and Camilla were exposed to the rain while royal aides attempted to organise umbrellas.

Footage showed Camilla receiving assistance first, allowing her to move towards shelter.

Charles, however, remained outside without an umbrella of his own.

As the rain continued, the monarch could be seen gesturing towards staff, apparently attempting to attract their attention.

The sequence quickly attracted attention online, with some viewers finding the scene amusing while others questioned why an umbrella had not been immediately available for the King.

What did King Charles reportedly say to his aides?

Professional lipreader Nicola Hickling, founder and director of LipReader, examined the footage and shared her interpretation of the conversation.

According to Hickling, Queen Camilla initially urged the couple to move as the weather deteriorated.

She reportedly asked for an umbrella after becoming increasingly wet.

Charles appeared to reassure her that assistance was on its way.

However, after Camilla received an umbrella and headed towards shelter, the King was still left standing in the rain.

At approximately 22 seconds into the footage, Charles could be seen raising his hand to attract attention.

Hickling believes he then repeatedly asked: "Where's the umbrella? Where's the umbrella?"

Moments later, as an aide walked past, the lipreader interpreted Charles as saying: "Where are you going? Can't you see I'm wet?"

The apparent remarks suggested that the monarch was becoming impatient with the delay.

However, the words are Hickling's interpretation of the footage and have not been independently confirmed by the King or Buckingham Palace.

What was King Charles' final remark?

According to the lipreader's analysis, Charles continued trying to find a way out of the rain as the delay continued.

At one stage, he reportedly suggested returning to the nearby building.

After approximately 40 seconds, another aide arrived with an umbrella, allowing the King to leave the exposed area.

But Hickling believes Charles made one final observation about the situation.

She interpreted his remark as: "Perhaps one should keep a spare on hand."

The comment appeared to suggest that having additional umbrellas readily available might have prevented the awkward delay.

Hickling described the exchange as entertaining for observers, although the circumstances may have been less enjoyable for those caught in the rain.

What did Queen Camilla do during the incident?

Camilla was reportedly the first to express concern about the worsening weather.

According to Hickling, she initially encouraged the couple to move before requesting an umbrella.

An aide subsequently arrived to assist her, allowing the Queen to make her way towards shelter.

Charles remained behind while staff attempted to find another umbrella.

A separate video shared on social media appeared to show Camilla laughing after reaching cover.

However, the footage does not establish exactly what she was laughing about.

The contrast between Camilla's relatively quick escape and Charles' prolonged wait contributed to the moment gaining attention online.

How did King Charles react afterwards?

Despite appearing frustrated during the downpour, Charles reportedly made light of the incident later.

ITV News royal editor Chris Ship shared footage of the moment on X and described how the sudden Caribbean rain had arrived faster than the umbrellas.

Ship also reported that Charles subsequently joked with the Antiguan prime minister about how wet his clothes had become.

According to the journalist, the King remarked: "I've started growing watercress on my trousers!"

The joke suggested that Charles was able to find some humour in the experience after reaching shelter.

Who is the lipreader who analysed the footage?

Nicola Hickling is the founder and director of LipReader, a service specialising in interpreting visible speech from video footage.

She has analysed recordings involving public figures and celebrities, offering interpretations of conversations that may not be clearly audible.

In this case, Hickling examined the royal couple's movements and apparent speech during the outdoor engagement.

Her interpretation provided additional context to a video that had already attracted attention because of the King's visible reactions.

However, lipreading has limitations.

Many spoken sounds produce similar mouth movements, while camera angles, lighting and facial positioning can make accurate interpretation difficult.

Consequently, a lipreader's interpretation should not be treated as definitive proof of what someone said.

Why were King Charles and Queen Camilla in Antigua?

The royal couple were attending events associated with the 45th anniversary of Antigua and Barbuda's independence.

The Caribbean nation gained independence from the United Kingdom on November 1, 1981.

Antigua and Barbuda remains a constitutional monarchy, with King Charles III serving as its head of state.

The anniversary provided an opportunity to commemorate the country's independence and reflect on its history.

However, the unexpected weather briefly overshadowed the formal proceedings when footage of the royal couple's attempts to escape the rain began circulating online.

What happened after the awkward exchange?

Once another umbrella arrived, Charles was able to leave the exposed area and follow Camilla towards shelter.

The incident lasted less than a minute, but the footage quickly became a talking point on social media.

Some viewers were amused by the unusually relatable situation of the monarch being caught without protection from the rain.

Others focused on the interaction between Charles and his aides, particularly the remarks interpreted by Hickling.

There has been no confirmation from Buckingham Palace that the lipreader's interpretation accurately reflects the full conversation.

Nevertheless, the moment offered an unusual glimpse of the King dealing with an everyday inconvenience during an otherwise formal royal engagement.