Truth Behind Whether Melania Broke Royal Protocol with Act When Meeting King Charles

Concerns were raised about whether the First Lady adhered to royal protocol when she was received by the Royal Family on Wednesday

Concerns have been expressed regarding the conduct of President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania following their meeting with King Charles during their second state visit to the UK.

After disembarking from their helicopter yesterday (September 17), they were greeted by Prince William and Kate Middleton at Windsor Castle.

The President and his former model wife accompanied the Prince and Princess of Wales to meet King Charles and Queen Camilla.

When the 79-year-old Republican met them, he notably did not bow, and Melania did not curtsy while shaking hands with the Royals, including William and Kate.

This led to questions about whether the Americans violated royal protocol.

However, according to the Royal Family's official website, it states: "There are no obligatory codes of behavior when meeting a member of the Royal Family, but many people wish to follow the traditional forms.

"For men, this is a neck bow (from the head only), while women perform a small curtsy. Others prefer simply to shake hands in the usual manner.

"When presented to The Queen, the correct formal address is 'Your Majesty' and subsequently 'Ma'am,' pronounced with a short 'a,' as in 'jam.'"

It further explained: "For male members of the Royal Family, the protocol is the same, starting with 'Your Royal Highness' and then 'Sir'.

"For other female members, the initial address is typically 'Your Royal Highness' followed by 'Ma'am.'

However, I should note that the 'greetings' page on the Royal Family's website has not been updated since Queen Elizabeth II's passing.

Former royal butler Grant Harrold also commented on Trump and First Lady Melania not curtsying to the royals.

"It's important to remember that certain royal protocols, such as bowing and curtsying, only apply to individuals in the UK and the Commonwealth," Harrold explained on behalf of OLGBG, adding: "You bow to the title, not the person. So Trump doesn't actually need to bow to the King."

Discussing the debate over whether Trump and Melania should have walked in front of Prince William after being received at Windsor Castle, Harrold noted: "Contrary to reports during Trump’s first State Visit to the UK, walking in front of royals is not actually a breach of royal protocol."

"If you look back at previous State Visits, you'll see figures like Clinton walking in front of Prince Philip. The visiting Head of State receives the military welcome, so it's not unusual for them to be at the forefront."

He further added: "In terms of general etiquette, Trump is the guest, and this inspection is for him. Therefore, it’s courteous for the King to allow his guest to walk ahead and fully experience this significant aspect of British military tradition."