Royal etiquette for the Trumps’ visit: Don’t kiss the queen
LONDON — President Donald Trump is coming to Britain fresh from a confrontational NATO summit that featured stinging criticism of America’s closest allies, but he’s likely to tone down that stance when he takes tea Friday with Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II.
The president and his wife Melania are not expected to make waves during the visit with the 92-year-old monarch. Elizabeth has met every U.S. president since Dwight Eisenhower with the exception of Lyndon Johnson, who never visited Britain while in office.
The imposing setting at Windsor Castle and the fact that his hostess is one of the most admired women in the world are expected to temper Trump’s iconoclastic ways. There are also rules of etiquette for encounters with the queen, although they are less rigid than many believe.
Chief among them: Don’t get too affectionate with the queen, who does not expect to be hugged or kissed by guests.