On September 17, President Donald Trump appeared to breach royal etiquette once again as he met King Charles during the first day of his UK state visit.
Trump and First Lady Melania landed at London’s Stansted Airport on the evening of September 16 for their two-day visit to the UK.
They resided at Winfield House in Regent’s Park before heading to Windsor Castle for a series of events, culminating in a state banquet on the evening of September 17.
Upon their arrival at Windsor Castle, Trump and Melania were welcomed by the Prince and Princess of Wales as they disembarked from Marine One.
The couple then proceeded across the Windsor Castle grounds to be greeted by King Charles and the Queen at the royal residence.
A particular moment during Trump’s encounter with Charles caught people’s attention.
While shaking hands with Charles, Trump placed his left hand on the King’s arm, an action that is generally discouraged.
According to ITV, Buckingham Palace advises that while touching the King is not explicitly against protocol, it is recommended to restrict physical contact to a handshake.
This means avoiding hugs or placing arms on the back or shoulders.
Trump is not alone in his deviation from royal etiquette when meeting members of the royal family.
Ed Sheeran made a similar faux pas during a 2017 meeting with King Charles by shaking his hand and placing his other hand on Charles’ arm.
Sheeran observed that Charles did not seem bothered, recalling: “He was asking me if I was still selling lots of records and I told him I’ve got a concert in New York tomorrow, and he was quite surprised I was flying after this.”
Earlier that day, Trump was also seen walking ahead of King Charles at Windsor Castle, leading to accusations of another breach of etiquette.
Royal etiquette dictates that individuals walk behind King Charles. Within the Royal Family, members walk behind the King based on their rank and the order of succession.
Trump and Melania are scheduled to remain in the UK until the evening of September 18.
Their royal-focused itinerary also included a visit to Queen Elizabeth II’s tomb in St George’s Chapel, lunch with the royal family, a Beating Retreat ceremony featuring a flypast of UK and US F-35 fighter jets and the Red Arrows, and a grand state banquet to conclude the day’s celebrations.