Queen Camilla appears to shoo Kate Middleton away while greeting Melania Trump at Windsor Castle

WINDSOR, ENGLAND: In an unexpected moment, Queen Camilla seemed to motion Kate Middleton away from first lady Melania Trump during the formal state welcome for President Donald Trump on Wednesday, September 17.

The interaction occurred at Windsor Castle amid the pomp of the UK visit, adding a more human and debated dimension to the ceremony. Cameras captured Kate immediately complying, raising questions about what prompted the gesture and how onlookers interpreted it.

Queen Camilla’s subtle signal in full view of Windsor Castle cameras

Footage from the welcome shows Kate Middleton, 43, in conversation with Melania Trump, 55, near the entrance of Windsor Castle.

Queen Camilla, standing close by, appears to subtly sweep her hand toward Kate, signaling that she should move aside.

Kate steps away quietly, rejoining Prince William’s side. The gesture is brief and graceful, but the optics of it, given the presence of media and the formality of the moment, were enough to send social media into overdrive.

State visit elegance meets punctuated decorum

Donald and Melania Trump were greeted by Prince William and Kate Middleton upon arriving at Windsor Castle, ahead of their planned meeting with King Charles and Queen Camilla.

The ceremony included military honours, photo ops, and traditions of royal greeting.

What etiquette experts and royal watchers are saying

Some experts suggest Camilla’s hand sweep was a practical move to clear space for the procession of carriages, as video shows the group making way soon after. Others see it as a more loaded gesture, perhaps underscoring boundaries and hierarchy in public royal-state interactions.

Meanwhile, Kate’s polite compliance was noted; there was no visible tension, just a swift repositioning. Some say this reflects how royals manage public optics: when in doubt, graceful acquiescence prevails.

Social media reacts to ‘directive’ from Queen Camilla

Online, the moment lit up fast. Viewers wrote that Queen Camilla “looked uncomfortable” as Kate Middleton and Melania Trump spoke, and claimed she seemed to be saying “make room.” Others defended Camilla, insisting the gesture was about the logistics of the carriage procession rather than snub or rudeness. 

One comment posted on X read: “Oh, that’s sad! She seemed to be enjoying visiting with Our First Lady. I missed that when I first saw it. Thank you for pointing it out! I don’t believe I ever saw Queen Elizabeth do this to anyone.” 

While another said, “Camilla, hard to like her.”

Another added, "Not our real Queen. Just a Consort."

Others echoed the sentiment. "Queen Camilla is very good at getting rid of anybody whose official title is Princess of Wales and Kate Middleton is no difference."

One more posted, "Jealous much?"

One user couldn’t help but write, "How rude. No manners Camilla."

While someone summed it up by saying, "That was rude."

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