Donald Trump is returning to the UK.
After his first visit was canceled due to intense protests from UK residents, the White House issued a statement announcing his intention to return.
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The problem? It’s already broken royal protocol.
Trump’s first official visit to the UK was delayed
His initial state visit was scheduled for shortly after his inauguration.
However, the trip was cancelled due to fears of mass protests, one of which included a massive blimp of baby Trump.
Trump claimed it was because he did not agree with the price Obama sold the US Embassy for there.
However…
The sale and move of the embassy was approved under President George W. Bush.
Regardless, the visit was cancelled, and Trump’s first visit to the UK was a working one in July 2018, instead.
Royal protocol was broken during that trip, as well
The media was whipped into a frenzy when Trump brazenly broke royal protocol in front of the Queen — literally.
Instead of walking to her left, as specified by Queen Elizabeth herself, Trump walked in front of her.
And it had the internet upset, to say the least
Some felt strongly about Trump’s pace, while others were upset at him breaking royal protocol by walking in front of her.
Either way, the incident made news around the world.
So you’d hope that Trump’s administration would be keeping a close eye on things for this visit.
Sorry to disappoint you
But that isn’t quite how things went down.
Here’s what happened:
The White House issued the announcement of Trump’s trip to the UK to commemorate the anniversary of D-Day, which is in June.
Here’s the statement:
It starts:
“President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump accepted the invitation of Her Royal Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to visit the United Kingdom from June 3 to 5, 2019.”
To most of us, that’s a totally normal statement
However, as many royal protocol enthusiasts have noted, the White House made a mistake when they referred to the Queen as “Her Royal Majesty.”
Proper protocol dictates that she be referred to as, “Her Majesty.”
The guidelines are pretty simple
The Royal Family has a dedicated page on their website outlining how to properly address members of the royal family.
While this is obviously nitpicking, it is something you’d expect the White House to research before putting out a press release.
Twitter had some thoughts
Some users quietly pointed out the mistake.
Again, you would think this is nitpicky! But as an official representation of the President, certain things seem like common sense.
Royal protocols aren’t strict rules. They’re more of an “unofficial” official guide.
There are other “guidelines” to follow, too
Everyone will be keeping a close eye on Trump as he returns to the UK.
Here’s some of the protocols he should be following:
Curtsey or bow (with your head only) to the queen. Shaking hands is also acceptable if the Queen allows it.
The pronunciation of “Ma’am” is dictated strictly
If referring to the Queen as “Ma’am,” the correct way to pronounce it is like the word “jam.”
Also, as laid out above, she is to be referred to as “Your Majesty.”
Follow her lead — always
Don’t talk to her unless she talks to you.
Don’t sit down before she does.
And don’t begin eating before she does, if you get the chance to dine with her.
If you sit next to her, know that there’s a certain order that she’ll speak to you in
When dining, the Queen customarily speaks to the person to her right for the first course of the meal.
The person to her left will get their turn after she is done with the first course, and the guest to her right.
Take selfies in her home
Or pictures of her at all.
When spotting the Queen out and about, at a function, or even in her home, the public is “encouraged” not to take selfies with the Queen in them.
So, now we all know what to look out for
When we all meet the Queen, right?
In our dreams! For Trump, these protocols will be crucial to making a good second impression.
Meanwhile, the British public are preparing for his visit in a very different way.
