INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Donald Trump and Queen Elizabeth II met as part of his controversial working visit to Britain (AFP)London: It's generally quite difficult
to upstage the queen of England, but President Donald Trump might have managed to do so.Trump and Queen Elizabeth II met Friday as part of
his controversial working visit to the United Kingdom
As the red carpet was rolled out at Windsor Castle, thousands gathered at a "Stop Trump" rally in London's Trafalgar Square
Some hours before, an inflatable balloon depicting the president as big orange baby flew in the air alongside the Houses of Parliament.While
Friday's protest and an array of sarcastic signs caused quite a stir, Trump's walk with the queen during an inspection of guardsmen quickly
became a hot topic.Described as "cringeworthy" and "uncomfortable" viewing on social media, footage of their walk together came under
While touring the castle grounds, Trump maintained a relatively brisk walk, which saw the queen, at times, fall behind him as he led the
way. Brits instantly became defensive of the queen, who turned 92 this year
"Did Donald Trump just WALK IN FRONT OF THE QUEEN!!!" asked one clearly offended user
"I detested how Trump dared walk in front of the Queen today," wrote another.At one point, the queen can be seen gesturing to Trump,
although it's unclear what exactly she may have been referring to
On social media, some speculated that Trump was being instructed on which side of her he should walk.If that was the case, the president
didn't grasp the message.Others online also debated whether Trump and first lady Melania Trump broke with royal protocol when they opted to
shake hands with the queen instead of bowing or curtsying
While some were displeased, this is an optional gesture, and choosing not to do so does not break with royal protocol
Although bowing is not a hard and fast rule, some believe it to be mandatory
Trump, who is known for his lengthy, powerful and intense handshakes, had many a little worried about what would happen when he met the
world's longest-serving monarch.The queen, who is rarely seen embracing others, is not known for public displays of affection
She surprised many people in 2012 when she was seen placing an arm affectionately around Michelle Obama
Obama reciprocated and the two stood arm in arm for a short while.At the time, author Charles Mosley described the interaction as
"astounding," and told CNN: "The big deal is that the queen is an almost sacred person
In monarchies there's a sacredness that surrounds the sovereign, which is perhaps not known in republics."Back in 1992, then-Australian
prime minister Paul Keating was heavily criticized for placing his hand on the monarch's lower back
British newspapers at the time referred to him as the "Lizard of Oz" as a result of his uncouth behavior.The queen wore all blue for
Friday's meeting with the Trumps and seemed to be in good spirits - despite the presidential eclipse.(Except for the headline, this story
has not been edited by TheIndianSubcontinent staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
