Posted on 09/17/2025 6:46:30 PM PDT by jerod
U.S. president kicked off his historic 2nd state visit to Britain at Windsor Castle
While observers weren't necessarily expecting a bow or curtsy, they may not have predicted a greeting this informal, either.
U.S. President Donald Trump's historic second state visit to Britain began Wednesday with a stop at Windsor Castle, where he was met by Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales.
Trump stepped out of his helicopter, raised his hand in a salute and then shook William's hand. Then, upon greeting Catherine, Trump shook her hand and said, "You're beautiful. So beautiful."
Catherine didn't appear to react one way or another. She reached out to shake first lady Melania Trump's hand, and the foursome walked across the lawn toward King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
There are no obligatory codes of conduct when meeting a member of the Royal Family, notes the official royal website, adding that many people do still wish to "observe the traditional forms" — which for men, is a neck bow.
So technically, Trump didn't breach royal protocol by commenting on Catherine's appearance, explained Justin Vovk, a royal historian with the Institute for the Study of the Crown in Canada.
"But it would, in my opinion, sort of transgress the unofficial rules of personal diplomacy," Vovk told CBC News.
Later Wednesday, at the formal state banquet, Trump mentioned Catherine's appearance again, this time in his official speech that was broadcast around the world.
"Melania and I are delighted to visit again with Prince William and to see Her Royal Highness Princess Catherine so radiant, and so healthy, and so beautiful," he said, reading solemnly off written notes, Catherine sitting to his right.
Trump has a history of making comments such as these in public, formal settings, likely thinking he comes off as charming or that he's breaking the ice, Vovk said.
But it's unprofessional, he added, particularly when meeting members of the Royal Family — who are used to getting comments about their appearance from the general public, but not one on one, and especially not during a formal state visit when the monarchy's role is to put its best foot forward.
"It was very awkward. There are so many levels of cringe to this," he said. "How do you respond to something like that in a way that will not make the situation more awkward or will not come off as a rebuff of the compliment?"
Trump had to stay outside the Center of London he’s meeting royals and Starmer in the countryside.
This criticism is nice compared to the fear of real violence aimed at POTUS they feared in the Center of London if he showed up there.
What did El Rushbo say about Feminism?
Trump should have been more worried about being poisoned the lizards than offending them by complimenting one of them.
Shove it CSI, uh CBS.
Natalie Stechyson has probably never been told that.
Probably never heard the word “beautiful”, or “pretty”, or “cute” or anything similar applied to her.
Origin of: Bite/chew your arm off To bite or chew your arm off for something means that one would go to any lengths to achieve a desired objective even at the cost of your arm. The expression is originally American from the latter half of the 20th century, “I was ready to chew my arm off rather than wake her.”
Princess Catherine has been battling cancer, so I think the President’s comment is a compliment but also a “You go, girl.”
breach of royal protocol or just cringey?
Let’s call it what it is; truth!
Should he have grabbed her hips and taken a deep sniff of of hair like Biden would have?
And Americans don’t care about a monarchy, no matter how many times the Kenyan bows .
Wimbledon: “You got to be kidding me” 🍓
I see what you did to Coyote Woman there! LOL
President Trump can say whatever he freaking wants as far as I’m concerned. He should give Starmer a big, fat lip while he’s there, and run over the muzzie London Mayor Sadiq Khan with “The Beast,” until all that’s left of him is a grease spot.
While sitting at a table at a swanky ol’ Westchester (NY) country club at some meal after my father’s funeral a friend of my father’s sat next to me. All his football, naval academy, marine, corporate and golfing friends, his high school friends and all relatives were there. Horrified that he left all us young adults
This fighting irish-American prep school busy, whom all my family knew, said my name and then, he said “[my name]you’re a G-D good looking girl”
(There was an open bar. It was an Irish Catholic funeral)
He said it like it was just a fact and people need to hear these things. Even married women even princesses like Kate
No one took offense. It wasn’t creepy. It wasn’t drunken.
If a man, of any age, calling a woman beautiful (even a moderately attractive woman) is “cringey”, then we have fallen even further than I thought.
He spoke truth. I see no issue.
Now that comment is beautiful and very profound. Hehe! Bwaaahaaa!! What a bunch of crap. I wanna go throw tea in Boston Harbor. All of a sudden I feel very native American. 👌
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