Queen Camilla's gesture during Melania Trump's Windsor visit draws scrutiny
Body language expert says Camilla appeared to pull rank as Kate chatted with Melania; the day included a state banquet and a Scouts visit
Queen Camilla's gesture toward Princess Kate during the state visit of U.S. First Lady Melania Trump drew renewed attention to royal dynamics at Windsor. A body language analysis described Camilla, 78, as briefly pulling rank as the first meeting with Melania Trump and the Princess of Wales unfolded in Windsor Castle's private Walled Garden. The moment occurred as King Charles and President Donald Trump stood nearby, with Kate moving in to greet the guests.
Melania Trump redirected attention toward Kate, greeting the Princess of Wales and prompting Camilla to resume her own conversation with the first lady. The interaction prompted an animated exchange between Kate and Melania, while Camilla appeared to be left out of the developing dialogue. Body language expert Judi James said Camilla's subsequent gesture, a quick wave and a nod to move Kate toward Prince William, suggested a formal effort to manage the social flow. Other observers suggested the gesture could have multiple meanings, including the possibility that the Queen was signaling the approach of a horse-drawn carriage and did not wish to disrupt proceedings.
Earlier in the day, William and Kate had accompanied the Trump couple to Victoria House, where the King and Queen were waiting to greet them for the state visit. Camilla wore a sapphire blue dress with a matching coat, a Philip Treacy hat, and a sapphire and diamond brooch. Kate wore an Emilia Wickstead dress paired with a Jane Taylor hat and a historic diamond brooch that had belonged to Princess Diana. Melania Trump wore a Christian Dior ensemble, completing a poised and polished appearance for the high-profile day.
That evening they gathered for a state banquet with other royals, including Princess Anne. Kate wore a Phillipa Lepley silk crepe gown under a gold Chantilly lace evening coat, along with the late Queen Elizabeth II's Royal Family Order and a blue sash indicating her Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order. Melania wore a dark formal suit in keeping with the occasion.
On Thursday afternoon, Kate, as joint president of the Scouts with the Duke of Kent since 2020, joined Melania Trump in Frogmore Gardens to meet a group of Squirrels, the youngest branch of UK Scouting. Under the guidance of Chief Scout Dwayne Fields, the two led a session building a bug hotel and leaf printing, before presenting badges and hosting a picnic. The First Lady gifted each child a jar of White House honey, and Kate had arranged honey produced by The Princess of Wales's bees for the event. The wellbeing of young children is important to both, a spokesman explained, highlighting the organizers' emphasis on outdoor education and community engagement. The schedule for the state visit started Tuesday and runs through today, keeping the focus on ceremonial duty and diplomatic signaling as part of a broader U.S.-U.K. relationship.