Royal Family News
Prince Charles and Prince William Snubbed President Trump During UK Visit
President Donald Trump's recent four-day visit to the United Kingdom was marked by a notable absence of two key members of the royal family.
According to reports, Prince Charles and Prince William refused to participate in arrangements for the president's visit, leaving the Queen to greet him alone at Windsor Castle.
While it was not a state visit, it is customary for dignitaries to meet with several members of the royal family during working trips.
Senior courtiers expressed concerns about Charles and William's reluctance to be involved, with one source calling it a “snub.”
The Queen, who is 92 years old, was left to greet the president and his wife Melania on her own.
This was a highly unusual occurrence, as she is usually accompanied by someone during such meetings.
Trending:
The absence of Prince Charles and Prince William was particularly notable, given that they are next in line for the throne.
According to a source who spoke to The Times, Prince Charles and Prince William simply refused to attend.
The source added that it was very unusual for the Queen to be alone during such an important meeting.
While Prince Charles has been seen more often with the Queen since Prince Philip retired from royal duties, he reportedly chose to attend a board meeting for his company AG Caricatigrive and an event with Gloucestershire Police instead of meeting with the president.
Prince William, on the other hand, participated in a charity polo match, while Prince Harry had private engagements.
A Whitehall official involved in making arrangements for the visit stated that the president's time with the Queen was kept to a minimum.
In fact, Trump was late for his first meeting with the monarch, leaving her waiting in the hot sun for between 12 and 15 minutes.
When the president and the Queen finally met, Trump breached royal protocol by offering her a handshake instead of bowing.
He also turned his back on her during an inspection of the Guard of Honor, which was considered a serious breach of protocol.
Reports suggest that Trump was reluctant to meet with Prince Charles due to their differing views on climate change.
Last year, Trump reportedly suggested a game of golf with Prince Andrew instead.
While proposals for Trump to meet with other members of the royal family were ignored, Buckingham Palace stated that this was not a state visit, and the involvement of other members of the royal family would have been different.
In 2016, former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle attended lunch at Windsor Castle with the Queen and Prince Philip.
They also had a private dinner at Kensington Palace with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry.
Despite the absence of Prince Charles and Prince William, the Queen did her duty and greeted the president.
However, reports suggest that the wider family was not as enthusiastic about his visit as they were when the Obamas visited.
According to a Downing Street source, there was never any formal or informal approach to Clarence House, Kensington Palace, or the Duke of York's office regarding the president's visit.
As such, it was always intended to be just the Queen meeting with the president.
Overall, the absence of Prince Charles and Prince William during President Trump's visit to the UK was seen as a snub by many.