Trump’s tactile display with King Charles at Windsor raises royal protocol questions

At Windsor Castle, President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump concluded a historic second state visit with a display that drew heightened attention to royal protocol as Trump briefly touched King Charles on multiple occasions during the day.

From the moment Trump arrived, he engaged in a noticeably tactile greeting with Charles, patting the king on the back and gripping his arm as the two men greeted one another. The interaction continued as they moved through the royal grounds and entered the Beating Retreat ceremony, a grand military display that the couple attended with Queen Camilla and Melania Trump. After the ceremony, as they walked back toward the castle, Trump again placed a hand on Charles while they moved up a flight of steps.

Body-language experts noted that such tactile behavior is unusual in royal circles and may reflect the dynamic of the visit as a high-profile, personal exchange rather than conventional diplomatic restraint. Judi James, a body language expert consulted by media outlets, described Trump’s repeated touches as part of a broader choreography, saying the gestures serve to signal mutual respect and a sense of hierarchy in real time as they move through the public spaces and seating arrangements.

"The tactile behavior is primarily about choreography and a sense of mutual respect," James said, highlighting how the two men navigated the parade ground, stairs, and seating with a series of touches and pats that helped guide who should go first and when to sit. The two leaders were joined by their spouses for the viewing stand, where the Beating Retreat ceremony unfolded with military displays and a flyover. The Trump entourage and the royal party took their seats in order, with Trump appearing to help steer Charles toward his place among the guests.

The former public-facing etiquette surrounding monarchs has long been a sensitive topic in Britain. In the era of Queen Elizabeth II, protocol experts cautioned visiting dignitaries against physical contact with the monarch. That stance contrasted sharply with moments of affection that later drew headlines—the most famous being a rare hug between Queen Elizabeth and former First Lady Michelle Obama during a 2009 visit, which palace officials at the time framed as a spontaneous expression of affection and appreciation.

James pointed out that Charles, by contrast, can appear less assured when navigating old-school protocol, sometimes needing direction on seating or who should step forward first. She noted that the king paused at one point during the Beating Retreat viewing platform moment, briefly looking back and forth between chairs before indicating where he and Melania should sit, while Trump used the moment to usher Charles forward.

"For Trump there is probably a form of compulsion to touch Charles 'because I can,'" James added, suggesting the posture may reflect a personal dynamic rather than a symbolic breach of etiquette.

The day’s events unfolded amid broader spectacle and ceremony, with Trump praising his relationship with Charles the night before, insisting that the king is "a friend of mine for a long time" and that "everybody respects him; and they love him". The Trump camp did not hold a press briefing during the Windsor events, but the comments provided a window into the diplomacy underlying the visit.

As the royal visit progressed, aides and observers waited to see how the pair would balance warmth with protocol in a setting designed to reinforce the longstanding alliance between the United States and the United Kingdom. The day’s tactile exchanges drew quick attention on social media and in coverage of the visit, underscoring how gestures can shape perceptions of diplomacy even as official remarks emphasize formalities and policy.

The presence of the Beating Retreat ceremony added a nuanced backdrop to the day’s interactions. The event, featuring military precision and a flyover, showcased the ceremonial pomp that accompanies state visits, even as the principals’ body language suggested a personal dynamic that diverged from strictly conventional decorum. While some observers framed the moments as either a harmless display of personal rapport or a breach of protocol, others called them a reminder of the evolving etiquette around interactions with modern heads of state.

In the broader arc of the visit, the focus remained on the longer-term relationship between the two nations and how leaders communicate through both formal channels and informal, human gestures. Trump’s final remarks on Charles the night before the visit and his later comments that he values Charles as a friend illustrate the nuanced tone that accompanies high-level diplomacy in the era of rapid media scrutiny and highly visible personal interactions. The event at Windsor Castle thus stood as a distinctive moment in the ongoing relationship between President Trump and the British royal family, one that will feed into discussions about protocol, diplomacy, and the optics of leadership on the world stage.