President Donald Trump’s second visit to the United Kingdom continues to stir waves of conversations online. Viral videos of Trump walking ahead of King Charles during an inspection of the guard at Windsor Castle is sparking a debate like no other.
What some called an embarrassment and a sign of disrespect took on a different meaning for others who dissected the footage frame by frame.
Video of the moment spread quickly online, with one viewer asking, “Trump walking in front of the King. Is that normal?” Another wrote, “I see Trump is walking in front of the King. Very cringe.”
A third commenter added, “Trump is walking in front of the King. Power move biggly.” A fourth accused, “AGAIN! He did this to Queen Elizabeth II – so disrespectful, it’s like entertaining a toddler,” wrote one frustrated user.
The incident revived memories of Trump’s July 2018 visit, when he stepped in front of Queen Elizabeth II as the two inspected the Queen’s Guard at Buckingham Palace, according to several videos posted across social media. At one point, Trump completely blocked Elizabeth out of view before displaying a befuddled look as if to wonder where she went.
At the time, critics said he appeared to direct the queen’s steps before she corrected him to move ahead. One person on Threads recalled, “Trump broke royal protocol by arriving late to meet Queen Elizabeth, failing to bow, and walking in front of her. He knows the royal protocol, he is so self absorbed and conceited, he does what he wants, not what is expected.”
But what Trump’s critics saw a “power move” appeared to be anything but. The president’s supporters vehemently dismissed the uproar. One right-wing critic wrote, “Stfu and play with your makeup a bit more. Obama walked in front of the man himself. None of you bitched then.”
The same commenter followed up with another response, pointing out that the king gestured for Trump to go ahead: “Are you stupid? The guest is supposed to walk in front of them. Watch the video, the whole thing. Charles tells him to go first.”
A zoom in of a longer clip shows Charles signaling verbally and nonverbally for Trump to walk ahead. And that wasn’t the only time he’s done it.
Prior foreign leaders seemingly follow the same standard to walk in front the monarch. Snopes completed an investigation when French President Emmanuel Macron was criticized for allegedly breaking protocol in July.
The finding at the time read, “Though royal protocol for state visits to the U.K. is not necessarily codified, we found no evidence that Macron broke any written or unwritten rules. Royal commentators called criticism of Trump, who in 2018 walked in front of the late Queen Elizabeth II during a troop inspection, ‘unfair.’ King Charles III has allowed foreign leaders to walk in front of him while inspecting troops during every state visit of his reign.”
But critics were in no mood to give President Trump a pass, calling it emblematic of his style. “This is just a great depiction of who Donald Trump is. He cares only for himself,” one said. Others labeled him “rude and vulgar.”
Despite the rocky optics, Trump’s visit continues with a full slate of engagements.
The Trumps joined Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, and Princess Kate in a carriage procession through Windsor estate, followed by a Guard of Honour ceremony. They were later hosted in the State Dining Room and shown a display of Royal Collection items tied to U.S. history. The couple also visited Queen Elizabeth II’s tomb at St. George’s Chapel, where they laid a wreath and listened to a performance by the chapel choir.
A lavish state banquet in St. George’s Hall was held Wednesday evening, where both King Charles and Trump delivered speeches touting the deep ties between the two powers. The following day, a guard of honour from RAF Halton greeted the president as he met Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and his wife, Lady Victoria.
No further breaches of protocol were reported.
“Our people have fought and died together for the values we hold dear,” said the King.
Commentators noted that much of the state visit seemed designed to flatter Trump. But during the banquet, the president struck a conciliatory tone of his own, praising King Charles in lofty terms.
“For many decades … His Majesty the King has epitomized the fortitude, nobility and the spirit of the British monarchy and the British people,” Trump said, adding that Charles had dedicated himself to “preserving the glory and unique character of this kingdom, restoring life to the rivers and streams, supporting the works of its artists and composers, planting trees and gardens in his countryside.”
Still, the backlash online remains fierce. One critic summed it up bluntly: “The dumbest nation on the planet. The president is representative of those who voted for him.”
