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Upon their arrival in the United States, King Charles III and Queen Camilla were formally received by President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at the White House. The couples attracted significant attention during their meeting amid widespread speculation about whether the President would adhere to royal protocol, which traditionally discourages any physical contact with the king or queen beyond a handshake.
Prior to the royal visit, Grant Harrold, who served as King Charles’ personal butler and house manager from 2004 to 2011, anticipated President Trump might once again breach protocol, as he had in previous interactions with the royal family.
Speaking on behalf of Action Network, Harrold shared with Showbiz Cheat Sheet, “Donald Trump has a history of breaking protocol whenever he meets the royals. It has happened so frequently that it seems almost inevitable there will be another instance. The most likely scenario is Trump committing a faux pas with the handshake or placing his hands on the king.”
Harrold further advised, “My recommendation to the Trumps is to admire from a distance. Look, smile, be courteous, but please refrain from touching. While Donald and Melania are not required to bow or curtsy, since they are not British, the President could improve his handshake style. It should consist of two or three gentle pumps, with hands to the side, balanced in strength, and accompanied by eye contact.”
Observers noted that during the exchange of pleasantries, both Melania and Donald Trump were seen touching the queen’s arm, subtly contravening the expected protocol.
Now, a lip-reading expert is sharing what the president said at that moment that kept things light.
Professional lip reader Jeremy Freeman told Reach plc that after the king said to the president, “Hello, very good to be here,” and the first lady replied, “So pleased to see you. I’m really delighted,” there looked to be some confusion as to where everyone was supposed to stand for photographs. The queen was even moving from side to side, not sure where to go before they found their positions.
According to Freeman, “When Trump motions Charles to the spot, Camilla moves into Charles’ spot — Trump jokingly says, ‘What’s going on here?’”
Freeman noted that the king replied “Phew” before the quartet stood in their respective spots while cameras clicked away. The lip reader also observed that during this phase of the photocall, Mr. Trump told King Charles, “Enjoy, they’re good guys,” which may have been referring to the photographers.
Freeman then noticed the monarch asking Trump, “Is it time?” as they tried to keep on schedule before moving on to the next part of the visit. From there, the parties enjoyed tea, and the hosts gave their guests a tour of the White House beehives.
The king and queen’s U.S. state visit wraps up on April 30.