
All eyes turned to President Trump earlier today as he arrived in the UK for his second state visit.
But his very first interaction with the Princess of Wales—who greeted him and his wife Melania after they landed by helicopter at Windsor Castle—didn’t exactly go smoothly.
Observers have since accused the former president of breaking key royal protocol.
Meeting the Royals
Trump and Melania were welcomed by Kate and Prince William before being introduced to King Charles III and Queen Camilla. The six were later seen chatting before boarding a royal carriage, escorted by the military through the gardens to the main residence.
Yet, it wasn’t the carriage ride that caught the internet’s attention. Instead, a clip of Trump’s initial handshake with Kate quickly became the subject of online debate.

The Handshake That Sparked Criticism
In the video, Trump initiates the greeting, pulling Kate slightly toward him—a move many viewed as breaking traditional royal etiquette, whether deliberate or not.
One Twitter user wrote: “Poor Princess Catherine. Her distance says it all. Looks like he’s gripping her hand rather tight.”
Another joked about the awkward moment: “Did he pull the princess into that handshake? LoL! Let’s take Britain. They need our help. Might as well be the 51st instead of Canada.”