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THIS is the embarrassing moment Prince Charles unveiled a commemorative plaque only to knock it to the ground.

The Prince was standing alongside BBC Countryfile presenter Ellie Harrison when he pulled a drape off the engraved metal plate.

 A dapper Prince Charles stands ready to pull of the drape as a crowd of people watch on
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A dapper Prince Charles stands ready to pull of the drape as a crowd of people watch onCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
 Whoops! Prince Charles makes no effort to catch the plaque after knocking it off its mount
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Whoops! Prince Charles makes no effort to catch the plaque after knocking it off its mountCredit: SWNS:South West News Service

The plaque was pulled down by the piece of cloth, tumbled off the easel, and crashed down onto the ground.

Harrison quickly picked it up and placed it back on the mount as Charles and the surrounding crowd laughed off it.

The Prince made the slip-up while visiting Daneway Banks in Gloucestershire -a nature reserve owned by Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, of which Harrison is president.

His visit on Thursday celebrated a successful project to preserve the critically endangered Large Blue Butterfly at the site.

 It's all a big joke to Charles as he starts laughing despite knocking the expensive plaque over
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It's all a big joke to Charles as he starts laughing despite knocking the expensive plaque overCredit: SWNS:South West News Service
 Countryfile presenter Ellie Harrison looks ready to pick the plaque up as Charles stands around chuckling
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Countryfile presenter Ellie Harrison looks ready to pick the plaque up as Charles stands around chucklingCredit: SWNS:South West News Service

The plaque will later be mounted on a bench at the reserve near Cirencester.

Countryfile star Ellie said: "There has been lots of work done by lots and lots of people to get this butterfly to return but this is now a great stronghold in the county and it's great that work has paid off.

"The Prince is a great champion, a great crusader for the natural world and he personally donated to the campaign...so it personally matters to him too."

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