DC preparation for King Charles visit goes Down Under with Australian flag error

By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON, April 24 (Reuters) – The District of Columbia mistakenly placed several Australian flags ​instead of British flags near ‌the White House ahead of King Charles’ U.S. visit, although the error was quickly corrected, a D.C. Department ‌of ​Transportation official said ⁠on Friday.

Charles is also ⁠the head of state for Australia, but the role is largely ceremonial.

Fifteen Australian flags were briefly ​included among more than 230 flags put on display ⁠to welcome the ⁠British king when he arrives ​in the U.S. capital on Monday. ​They were later replaced with ‌the British flag, the official said.

Charles’ state visit, to mark the 250th anniversary of the U.S. ⁠Declaration of Independence from British rule, is widely seen as the most high-profile ⁠trip of ‌his reign so far.

The ⁠trip will aim to ​shore ‌up the two allies’ “special ​relationship,” which ⁠has sunk to its lowest point in 70 years amid strains surrounding the Iran war.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by ​Edmund Klamann)