Trump appears to make royal blunder by walking in front of Queen Camilla while greeting guests
Trump cuts in front of Camilla to shake hands with guests pic.twitter.com/7bcRjP1bQz
— Molly Ploofkins (@Mollyploofkins) April 29, 2026
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump reportedly made an awkward misstep as he walked ahead of Queen Camilla while she was greeting officials during a White House event.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, April 28, when King Charles III and Queen Camilla returned to the White House after being privately welcomed by the president and first lady Melania Trump. As the royal guests returned, several US officials stood in line to greet them.
Trump interrupts Queen Camilla during White House greeting line
Footage circulating on social media shows Camilla shaking hands with Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. However, before the 78-year-old royal could greet others, Trump stepped in front of her and began shaking hands.
The sudden interruption appeared to startle Camilla briefly. King Charles III also seemed slightly taken aback.
According to the official website of the British Monarchy, “there are no obligatory codes of behaviour when meeting The King and Queen or a member of the Royal Family, but many people wish to observe the traditional forms.”
Trump previously walked ahead of Queen Elizabeth II during 2018 UK visit
Meanwhile, this was not the first time Trump has done something similar. During his first term, the Republican leader visited the UK in June 2018. At the time, he reportedly walked ahead of Queen Elizabeth II after arriving more than ten minutes late at Windsor Castle.
The pair then went on to inspect the Queen’s Guard when Trump walked ahead of her before suddenly stopping, forcing her Majesty to awkwardly sidestep around him.
Trump criticized for not rehearsing royal protocol before meeting Queen
At the time, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told CNN that it looked like Trump “might as well have been wandering up and down a golf course.”
“It proves he (Trump) doesn’t bother to rehearse, because he thinks he doesn’t need to,” Fitzwilliams added.
That was not all, as Trump, after returning to the US, reportedly falsely claimed that the Queen “reviewed her honor guard for the first time in 70 years,” despite the fact that she had been on the throne for 66 years at the time and regularly reviewed a guard of honor at her residence.
“We walked in front of the Honor Guard, and that was very inspiring to see and be with her. And I think the relationship, I can truly say, is a good one. But she was very, very inspiring indeed,” he added.
