Mixed up flags and etiquette: How was Charles III's visit to the USA? Details
King Charles III of Great Britain and Queen Camilla arrived in the United States on April 27. The monarch's four-day visit is timed to coincide with the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence of the United States from Great Britain. This is the first visit of the British monarch to the United States since 2007. What interesting moments the meeting was remembered is in the Izvestia article.
Error with flags
• In Washington, during the preparation for the state visit of King Charles III of Great Britain, there was a mistake with the symbols. 15 flags of Australia were among more than 200 British banners erected in honor of the arrival of the monarch near the White House. The flags of Australia and the United Kingdom are similar because the British Union Jack is placed in the upper left corner of the Australian flag. However, Australia also has white stars on a blue background, symbolizing the constellation of the Southern Cross and the Commonwealth. Later, the error was corrected and replaced with British ones.
• The situation looks ironic, because Charles III is also nominally considered the head of Australia. This role is purely ceremonial.
Fear of embarrassment
• The meeting between King Charles III of Great Britain and US President Donald Trump at the White House was decided to be held without cameras. This decision was made by the British authorities due to fears of diplomatic awkwardness and possible humiliation of the monarch by an unpredictable American leader.
• British officials insisted that the Oval Office talks take place without filming, because they were afraid of a repeat of the situation when Trump publicly chastised Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky in front of reporters.
• At the same time, members of the US Congress were given strict rules of conduct before meeting with King Charles III. The instructions mentioned bans on selfies, touching, hugging, and even informal conversations.
Violation of protocol
• US President Donald Trump violated etiquette when meeting the king at the White House — he patted him on the shoulder. There is an unspoken rule: you cannot be the first to touch members of the royal family. Trump, although the meeting was prepared in advance, missed this moment. As they turned towards the door, he lightly touched the king's right shoulder in a friendly pat. This could be considered a violation of protocol, but Charles III, judging by the reaction, either did not object or chose not to notice the gesture. Trump often uses gestures that may look like a demonstration of dominance: patting, closing the distance, active movements during communication. However, in American culture, such actions are often perceived as friendliness.
• In addition, an informal greeting took place during the meeting of the First Lady of the United States Melania Trump with the British Queen Camilla. She did not curtsy and instead kissed the guest on both cheeks, although the classic protocol involves bowing or curtsying. Camilla herself also deviated from the usual pattern: she took a step towards the host, although usually guests wait at the entrance. It looked like a gesture of openness and goodwill.
• Later, during the review of the troops, the British king had to catch up with the President of the United States. With this, Trump violated one of the most famous and strict rules of British royal etiquette: you cannot turn your back on the monarch. However, this is not the first such case.: During Trump's visit to Buckingham Palace, the king also had to catch up with the guest.
Historical jokes
During his state visit, Charles III joked about rebuilding the White House. He noted that the east wing of the building was completely demolished for a new ballroom, and ironically added that the British had already tried to "change the layout" of this residence in 1814. We are talking about the period of the Anglo-American War, when British troops occupied Washington and set fire to the White House.
Wardrobe Details
• Queen Camilla flew to the American Andrews Air Base in a pink Dior dress, a brand often favored by Melania Trump. Such a choice looked like respect for the style of the first lady. Later, the queen changed her outfit: at the tea meeting, she appeared in a white chiffon dress by Anna Valentine with black embroidery on the sleeves, collar and skirt. The white color is associated with an unspoken tradition of emphasizing the "color of the White House" at official events. The addition was a brooch with the flags of Great Britain and the USA, created by Cartier in 1957 for Elizabeth II.
Melania Trump chose a light yellow suit from American designer Adam Lipps. This choice can be seen as a sign of support for national brands, as she usually wears European ones. Yellow is associated with joy and optimism. Melania's outfit could also hint at the appearance of a new hive in the White House. Charles III is fond of beekeeping, so during the visit the guests were shown the apiary.
The Battle of Pink Dresses
• The main event of the second day of the visit was a gala dinner in the East Room. He followed the strict white tie dress code, which has not been used in the White House since 2007. Melania Trump chose a pale pink silk off-the-shoulder Christian Dior Haute Couture dress for the event. The look was complemented by light-colored long gloves and classic pumps.
• Queen Camilla appeared in a bright fuchsia dress by British designer Fiona Clare. The accent was an antique necklace with amethysts and diamonds, which used to belong to Queen Victoria and Queen Mary. At the same time, she did not wear a tiara. The images were actively discussed in the media: some praised Melania, others noted Camilla's unusual color choice, and some fashion experts argued whether such outfits were appropriate for such events.
Despite the danger
• Two days before the king's visit, on April 25, in the evening, a gala dinner was held at the Washington Hilton Hotel with the participation of White House journalists, Donald Trump, Melania Trump, US Vice President Jay Dee Vance and administration staff. During the event, an armed man entered the building and opened fire, wounding a Secret Service agent. The attacker was detained on the spot.
Charles III and Camilla arrived in Washington despite this incident. The state visit is taking place without any changes to plans, but security measures have been tightened in Washington.
• During his address to Congress, King Charles III of Great Britain commented on the shooting. He stated that the purpose of the attack was to intimidate society and create a split within the country. The King stressed that such actions do not achieve their goal and are not capable of destroying unity.
Very distant relatives
• Against the background of the visit, some media outlets began checking the family trees of the heads of the United States and Britain. So, the Daily Mail newspaper stated that Trump and Charles III are distant relatives. According to the investigation, they have a common ancestor — John Stuart, the third Earl of Lennox, the great-grandson of King James II of Scotland.
This aristocrat lived from about 1490 to 1526 and participated in the struggle for power in Scotland during the reign of James V. He sided with the forces that tried to change the political order, but was defeated at the Battle of Linlithgow Bridge and died soon after. The publication claims that through this line of kinship, Trump and Charles III are about sixteen cousins. On social media, Trump joked about this publication, writing that he would like to live in Buckingham Palace.
Without meeting with the victims
• King Charles III of Great Britain does not plan to hold a meeting with victims of the actions of American financier Jeffrey Epstein during a state visit to the United States. The initiative to organize such a conversation was made by US Congressman Ro Khanna. However, Buckingham Palace explained that the investigation into cases related to this scandal is ongoing.
In February 2026, the King's younger brother Andrew (Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor) was arrested in connection with the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. After the publication of the files and new evidence of the connection with the defendants, Andrew was stripped of his titles.
When writing the material, Izvestia took into account the opinions of:
- etiquette expert Tatiana Baranova.
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