Donald Trump is not famous for following rules. Not only is he the first US president to be found guilty of 34 felony charges, and to avoid subsequent jail time, but he has a well-documented knack for dodging accountability. This is perhaps why UK protestors decided to project an image of Donald and the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein on the walls of Windsor Castle – a reminder that, despite the president’s best efforts, the world has not forgotten about the Epstein Files.
All of which is to say it should come as no surprise that during Donald’s ‘unprecedented’ second state visit to the UK he managed to break a few royal protocols. The first happened as soon as Air Force One touched down at Windsor Castle where an orange-toned Donald and Melania were greeted by heir to the throne Prince William and Kate Middleton.
While a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said there are ‘no obligatory codes of behaviour’ when meeting the royal family, they did offer three recommended ways people can formally greet them. Men should bow their heads, while women are told to do a small curtsy. If you are uncomfortable with either, then a firm handshake instigated by the royal party is deemed acceptable. The King and Queen should first be addressed as ‘Your Majesty’ and then ‘Sir’ and ‘Ma’am’ respectively.
However, neither Donald or Melania curtsied before William and Kate and in one image it looks as though Donald is pulling Kate towards him. The same occurred when Donald arrived at Windsor Castle and did not bow his head in front of King Charles. He also flounced the traditional handshake rule, instead opting for a strong pat on the shoulder.
According to Grant Harold, Charles’ former butler, this is a no-no. ‘It’s just one-handed. Don’t grab them or pull them in for a bear hug. Don’t overpower them; it’s meant to be mutual respect and only go on for a couple of seconds, and there should be good eye contact.’
After their initial welcome, Trump around the castle grounds and walked ahead of King Charles while speaking to a foot guard. This is another royal no-no. Royal reporter Narinder Kaur shared a clip of the rule breaking on X and wrote, ‘Oh god… he’s walking in front of the King like Charles doesn’t even exist or matter!’. Apparently, Donald did the same when he visited Queen Elizabeth II during his last state visit. Royal commentator Rafe Heydel-Mankoo said: ‘President Trump did perhaps block Her Late Majesty a bit too much on the last visit, but I think he’s been I suppose well-advised that he’s keeping just the right sort of space that he should be.’
It has also been pointed out that King Charles indicated to Trump to take the lead on this occasion, and that other political figures have walked ahead of the head of state in the past, but it is still widely considered poor etiquette. Fortunately for Trump, the King did not seem too bothered by the mishap and there are several pictures of the two men looking jovial and friendly with one another. The same can’t be said of the late Queen, who met Donald in 2018 and 2019, and reportedly found him ‘very rude’. Donald has denied these claims.
What are the protocols when meeting a member of the royal family?
For anyone who wants to avoid Donald’s reputation, here are the recommended rules to follow when meeting a senior member of the royal family (should you wish to be a rule follower):
The bow and the curtsy
Not one for Mr and Mrs Trump, apparently, but most people tend to bow and curtsy on the first meeting.
The handshake
Donald might be known for his ‘arm wrestle’ style of handshake, a ‘yank’ if you will, but a brief, firm handshake is best.
Remember where the King is standing
When he last met the Queen, Donald stopped directly in front of her at one point, forcing her to walk around him to continue to be side by side. It’s a moment that still has royal fans’ knickers in a twist.
‘Your Majesty’
Start with ‘Your Majesty’ before moving on to ‘Sir’ and ‘Ma’am’ (rhyming with jam not farm).
No touching
Another one Donald didn’t fancy following during his state visit, but you’re not supposed to get up close and personal with the monarch.
State banquets
Nestled in between King Charles and Kate Middleton, at the banquet Donald had some old school table manners to follow. He was supposed to speak first to the person on his left, in this instance the king, during the first course before turning to the person on his right, Kate, for the main course and continuing to alternate with each course.
Start outside and work in
When it comes to cutlery there is a specific order to follow. Napkins go on the lap, and then you use the outside cutlery first before working your way in. Apparently there are 19 service stations in the Buckingham Palace Ballroom each staffed by a page, footman, under butler and wine butler who use a traffic light system to synchronise the serving of courses.
Stay awake
If it all sounds a little crusty and boring that’s still no excuse to fall asleep at the table, as the Duke of Edinburgh once did during a state banquet in Seoul in 1999.
Selfies are permitted
Perhaps the most surprising rule of all is that the King has a soft spot for selfies. He’s been spotted smiling for selfies on several royal tours and does not have an issue with people asking for pictures. We’re yet to see a Donald x Charles selfie on social media, but there’s still time.
Nikki Peach is a writer at Grazia UK, working across entertainment, TV and news. She has also written for the i, i-D and the New Statesman Media Group and covers all things pop culture for Grazia (treating high and lowbrow with equal respect).