The royal tour has been a tradition of the British monarchy for many generations. They involve official stately visits by members of the royal family to other nations within the British Commonwealth and beyond, usually traveling to several cities or countries in one trip. While it may look like they're on holidays as they're photographed taking in the local sights, royal tours are actually all about publicity and diplomatic relations. The visiting royals must meet with local leaders, visit important institutions, take part in ceremonies, and be seen to take in the local culture. Each event is carefully planned, and they are constantly being ferried from one public engagement to the next while thousands of eyes watch their every move.
Royal tours are rife with accidents and blunders, as the tight-laced family deal with unexpected circumstances far outside of their comfort zone. Intrigued? Then click through this gallery to learn about royal tours that went completely off the rails (sometimes literally).