KING Felipe was left with a panicked look on his face after the Spanish flag suddenly collapsed while being hoisted aloft a pole in Vigo.

The Spanish monarch was captured reacting with surprise after the national flag fell to the ground during a military ceremony on Sunday.

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The incident occurred when a hook on the pole snapped, sending the banner tumbling to the floor before landing on the heads of several soldiers standing nearby.

The faux-pas took place at a ceremony commemorating Armed Forces Day in northern Spain, where the King was accompanied by his daughter Princess Leonor.

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“A beautiful metaphor for the reality of Spain,” one user said on social media.

“How can I save this video to watch it when I have a bad day?” said another.

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