Donald Trump breaks royal protocol immediately after meeting King Charles at White House

Ben McCaffrey
Tue, 28 Apr 2026 07:10:46 +0000

Donald Trump broke royal protocol immediately after meeting King Charles and Queen Camilla on Monday afternoon.

The US President and First Lady Melania Trump welcomed the monarchs for a historic State Visit on the White House South Lawn before they headed inside for a reception.

Mr Trump gave the King a firm handshake, while the First Lady kissed the Queen on both cheeks, before the quartet stood and smiled for the cameras.

They then turned to head inside, but on the way in, President Trump gently touched the King's right arm while guiding him through the doors.

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This is a breach of the unwritten protocol of never initiating physical contact with a royal.

Body language expert Judi James told the Daily Mail that the move "looked like a more political gesture" from the President, and demonstrated a "gesture of active, 'special' friendship".

It doesn't mark the first time Mr Trump has broken protocol by initiating physical contact with his "friend" King Charles.

During his trip in September 2025, he was seen grasping the monarch above the elbow during their initial greeting, setting the tone for what proved to be another handsy encounter between the two leaders.

However, as Mrs James noted, the King has "always seemed more relaxed about that than his mother".

Following the royal faux pas, the King and Queen sat down for tea with the President and First Lady at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

They were then greeted with a tour of the First Lady's newly unveiled beehive, after the First Lady revealed the expansion to the executive residence's apiary programme last Friday, with the centrepiece being a hive crafted in the distinctive shape of the White House itself.

Later on, they attended a Garden Party at the British Embassy in Washington DC, which brought together an array of guests representing the transatlantic relationship between Britain and America.

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There, the King met senior American officials, such as White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy Stephen Miller and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

The visit, as has been stressed by both UK and US officials, is to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence.

The royal couple's itinerary spans engagements across Washington DC, New York and Virginia from April 27 to 30.

But the trip comes on the backdrop of heightened security concerns, after a suspect managed to breach security at the White House Correspondents' Dinner with a shotgun, a handgun and at least three knives.

31-year-old Cole Allen of California was yesterday charged with attempting to assassinate the US President, discharging a firearm during a violent crime and transporting a firearm across states with the intent to commit a felony.

Buckingham Palace defiantly stated on Sunday that they are to "proceed as planned" - the first day of the historic State Visit certainly followed that rhetoric.