President Donald Trump has once again been accused of breaching royal protocol during King Charles and Queen Camilla's state visit to the United States. The visit, the first by a British monarch since 2007, was marked by several instances where Trump ignored traditional rules governing interactions with the royal family.
One notable breach occurred when Trump walked in front of Queen Camilla while greeting officials at the White House. Footage showed the Queen appearing taken aback as Trump cut in front of her during a handshake line. King Charles was also reportedly caught in the crossfire, struggling to complete the greetings.
Trump also violated the 'no touching' protocol by patting King Charles on the shoulder and later touching his knee during a meeting in the Oval Office. Body language expert Judi James described the shoulder touch as a 'political gesture' but suggested the King seemed relaxed about it, unlike his late mother Queen Elizabeth II.
Perhaps most controversially, Trump claimed that King Charles 'agreed' with him on the war in Iran, a statement that risks dragging the monarch into political matters. The monarchy's position requires strict neutrality, and such comments could undermine its non-partisan role.
The visit, intended to strengthen UK-US relations amid tensions over Ukraine and the Middle East, saw both leaders put on a united front. However, Trump's repeated protocol breaches have drawn criticism and comparisons to his 2018 visit, when he similarly walked in front of Queen Elizabeth II.
