Did Trump Break Royal Protocol?

On Monday, June 3, US President Donald Trump appeared to break the royal protocol by placing his hand on Queen Elizabeth’s back. The incident took place during the state banquet at Buckingham Palace which immediately sparked a discussion, whether or not the US president broke the royal protocol.

As seen when he stood up, after giving a remarkable speech about the courage of British soldiers on D-day, Mr. Trump is appeared to lightly pat the back of the Queen. The Queen, however, seemed less concerned by the gesture, possibly the reason being that the US president delivered a grateful tribute to its host.

Amongst the rest, Queen Elizabeth II has long been considered a great taboo surrounding the British Monarch, and the touching and behaving around the royal family is one of the unwritten rules by her. The incident took place after Mr. Trump in his speech praised the Queen as a “great woman” for her work and how she has embodied the people and how the dignified patriotism that beats proudly in every British heart.

It’s not the first time that the unwritten rule has been broken, former lady Michelle Obama did something similar whereas, Obama in 2009, went as far as to hug the Queen. However, the Queen did not react in a noticeable way through the incident of Mr. Trump appeared to mistakenly touch her in Buckingham Palace.