Internet lights up over mourner’s ‘mortifying’ accident at Queen’s funeral

The internet lit up as one unscripted moment at the Queen’s funeral was caught on cameras, much to the embarrassment of one mourner.

The errant piece of paper beside the Queen's coffin.

The internet lit up over one unscripted moment at the Queen’s funeral today, caught on the world’s cameras.

As the service began, one prominently-placed religious figure among the 2000 mourners inside Westiminster Abbey rearranged the papers he was holding – and one of them flew out of his hand, falling to the ground several feet in front of him. Here’s the moment as it happened:

Because of his prominence in the crowd, the errant funeral program sat on the floor, just to the right of the Queen’s coffin, clearly noticeable in TV coverage from the funeral.

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The errant piece of paper beside the Queen's coffin.

Cue viewers at home, screaming at the poor man via social media to pick up the loose sheet of paper that was suddenly pulling focus from the Queen’s coffin.

worst time to drop your piece of paper

— Bethany Dawson (@bethanymrd) September 19, 2022

"Oh no, I just dropped me white piece of paper, hopefully the camera doesn't do a slow zoom on it and we'll be fine" #queensfuneral

— Vince McManaman (@JoeAntDudders) September 19, 2022

That dude is NOT just gonna leave that paper he dropped there the whole time, is he?! #queensfuneralpic.twitter.com/yL0Er2jTZU

— ⚖️👩🏻‍💼🇺🇸 (@CubaLibreEsq) September 19, 2022

That piece of paper on the floor: pic.twitter.com/Zsdaoo4a3P

— Jamie (@JTWilsn) September 19, 2022

The bloke who just dropped his paper right now #QueensFuneralpic.twitter.com/TTcY2XXMEJ

— Michael Clarke (@mchlbrnclrk) September 19, 2022

#queensfuneral The world is staring at a piece of paper on the floor

— Erin White (@ewski32) September 19, 2022

Everyone just saw this guy drop a piece of paper right near the Queen’s coffin, he must be mortified pic.twitter.com/1PMuAGNVBL

— kim (@jasminetea) September 19, 2022

The slow zoom onto that dropped paper really is the icing on the cake here pic.twitter.com/3L684a93T7

— Ben Marshall (@benmarshallfilm) September 19, 2022

the fella that dropped his piece of paper at the Queen’s funeral #paper#queensfuneralpic.twitter.com/s0wDIg6tkH

— your mother (@jsjekeosjeben) September 19, 2022

And on this sad day, at least one happy ending – the sheet of paper was picked up!

Oh thank god they’ve picked that piece of paper up from behind the coffin. Couldn’t believe it when old mate dropped it. My anxiety couldn’t take it.

— Joel Creasey (@joelcreasey) September 19, 2022

Phew.

It wasn’t the only gaffe at today’s otherwise sombre event, as Nine presenters Peter Overton and Tracy Grimshaw suffered an embarrassing flub as they were covering the famous faces arriving to the funeral and failed to correctly identify new UK Prime Minister Liz Truss.

The pair suggested she must be a “minor royal” before being informed they were looking at Britain’s new leader.

Originally published as Internet lights up over mourner’s ‘mortifying’ accident at Queen’s funeral