President Biden Breaks Royal Protocol During Visit With King Charles III
By: The Messenger
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
You are not supposed to touch members of the Royal Family unless a they initiate contact
President Joe Biden broke British Royal protocol on Monday when he touched King Charles III on the back.
The President was seen outside Windsor Castle with the King as he arrived for talks on climate change ahead of the NATO summit this week.
President Biden seen on the forecourt of Windsor Castle with King Charles IIIChris Jackson - WPA Pool/Getty Images
He walked off a platform with the King and appeared to place his hand on the monarch's back. A similar scene was also seen on the forecourt of the Castle.
The pair were "relaxed and cordial" as they got their first official meeting since Charles became king.
President Biden seen touching King Charles III's back at Windsor Castle. July 10 2023Ian Vogler - WPA Pool/Getty Images
You are not supposed to touch members of the Royal Family unless a member initiates contact.
However this is considered a minor infraction.
This is not the first time a "commoner" has touched a member of the Royal Family, of course.
Michelle Obama hugged the late Queen Elizabeth on a visit to Buckingham Palace in 2009, which the Palace said was a "mutual and spontaneous display of affection."
Mrs Obama later wrote about the moment in her book "Becoming."
"Forget that she sometimes wore a diamond crown and that I'd flown to London on a presidential jet; we were two tired ladies oppressed by our shoes," she wrote. "I then did what's instinctive to me anytime I feel connected to a new person, which is to express my feelings outwardly. I laid a hand affectionately across her shoulder."
In 2014, NBA star LeBron James put his arm around Princess Catherine when posing with her and Prince William for a photo after a game in Brooklyn, New York.
President Trump was also accused of breaking protocol by walking in front of Queen Elizabeth II, and also touching her on the back at a state banquet in 2019, as well as other infractions throughout his meetings with the monarch.
What are the rules when meeting a British royal?
The British School of Excellence explains that people meeting the King or other royalty should bow at the neck if male and perform a small curtsey if female.
However, non-Brits are not expected to do this.
If the royal offers a handshake, that is allowed but the "commoner," as non-royals are known, is not supposed to initiate one.
King Charles offers President Biden a handshake at Windsor Castle, July 10 2023AP Photo/Kin Cheung, Pool
Buckingham Palace did say at the time of Michelle Obama's hug that there is no official ban on touching the monarch.
The rules don't come with any official means of enforcement, either. The BBC reported that "those in breach need not fear exile."
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Cue the usual suspects for their whining about Biden party.
Biden and his party provide us with sufficient material every day to keep the jokes and criticism going.
Axios Has a New Nickname for Joe Biden and We Don't Think He's Going to Like It (townhall.com)
Charles is lucky Biden didn't sniff his hair and start rubbing his shoulders.
Honestly, if I were to see an elderly person walking down the street alone in this manner and with this look on his face, I’d stop and offer to help him/call police and ask if an elderly person was missing.
I don't know if I'm the only member of NT who ever shook hands with a British Royal, but back in 1991 while I was the Chief Barker (president) of Variety Club of Ontario she visited a disabled children's institution in Toronto which we supported and I was invited to be present. We were schooled with the royal protocol so we knew what to do. She greeted the staff and turned around, saw me standing there and walked over to me, shook my hand and asked what my duties were there. I told her that I was the Chief Barker of the Variety Club and that we supported that institution financially, and provided them with a "Sunshine Coach". She said that yes, she noticed the coach outside. She was familiar with them because the Variety Club in Great Britain is very popular and they present many Sunshine Coaches to children's institutions. I could KILL the photographer who didn't take a photo of me with the Princess, but here is one taken during that occasion wherein I am on the right with the lapel badge.
This is an example of the wheelchair Sunshine Coaches that Variety Clubs give to children's institutions. I think this one was donated by the Variety Club of British Columbia.
Evening.. didn't shake hands but had a good 10 minutes gas bag with Charles at Newcastle railway station in 1987.
Had my back pack on and he saw me asked where I was going..said waiting for my Kiwi friend and heading into Russia and East Germany etc with Contiki tours..
Stopped him in his tracks so had a real good yack..his body guards were a bit on edge, probably worried us colonials might grab him..🤣🤣
Now I think we both feel the same way about Chuckie and his woman. Did you know that Paul Hogan was once the Chief Barker of the Variety Club of Australia? Back in my time they ran an annual kind of long distance road race to raise money.
Morning... they still do.. been running for years and they go through the Outback..raised millions over the years...
Good for them, good for the disabled and disadvantaged kids they support.