The not-so-special relationship: a history of awkward moments during US state visits to Britain
Presidents and first ladies have occasionally unsettled royal protocol, even as the long-standing alliance endures.
WASHINGTON — The so-called special relationship between the United States and Britain has long rested on shared interests and informal etiquette, but state visits have repeatedly tested that image. President Donald Trump’s Windsor Castle visit this week drew headlines after he complimented Catherine, the Princess of Wales, telling her 'You're beautiful. So beautiful,' and later describing her as 'radiant, and so healthy, and so beautiful' at a formal banquet. Critics described the remarks as crossing unwritten rules of personal diplomacy, and royal historians described the moment as awkward and cringe-inducing.
Trump’s Windsor visit follows a broader pattern in which other U.S. leaders have faced awkward moments with Britain's royal family. During his 2018 UK visit, Trump reportedly kept the queen waiting in heat, walked in front of her during the guard of honor inspection, and did not bow when they met. Melania Trump did not curtsy, a gesture not mandatory but customary in many royal encounters. Biographers and aides have said the late queen found his behavior rude and questioned his relationship with his wife.
In 1977, President Jimmy Carter is said to have kissed the Queen Mother on the lips during a Buckingham Palace banquet; Carter has said it was a kiss on the cheek, and in his 2016 autobiography he said reports to the contrary distorted the event. During the 1976 bicentennial celebrations, Gerald Ford attended a White House gala with the Queen; the band played 'The Lady is a Tramp' as Ford's son Jack stood nearby with undone shirt studs, and the queen joked about it.
Barack Obama’s 2009 visit drew attention when First Lady Michelle Obama placed her arm around Queen Elizabeth II at a Buckingham Palace reception. Obama later said the moment reflected human connection rather than a breach of protocol, and the queen reportedly did not mind. In 2011, Obama pressed on with his toast as the orchestra began to play 'God Save The Queen,' waiting for the music to finish before the queen raised her glass.
George W. Bush’s 2007 visit included a gaffe when he said the queen had first toured the United States in 1776, a slip he paired with a wink while the queen smiled and responded with a measured toast.
Ronald Reagan’s 1982 Windsor visit featured a delayed invitation and a horseback ride in the royal grounds; aides described scheduling tensions around the trip, while the visit concluded with Reagan joining the queen on horseback.
Joe Biden’s COP26 stop in 2021 produced a different sort of moment, with reports that the president passed wind at a reception with Queen Camilla. He was also photographed wearing sunglasses during a meeting with the queen, drawing commentary from palace staff about eye contact and protocol.
Across these episodes, the relationship has endured amid a changing understanding of royal etiquette and a shared interest in security, trade and global diplomacy. While missteps have sparked headlines, official ties between the United States and Britain remain a central pillar of Western diplomacy, with both sides often prioritizing common strategic aims over isolated moments of discomfort.