Trump Lightly Taps King Charles III's Shoulder... Debate Over Etiquette of Physical Contact

Trump Touches King Charles III's Shoulder During U.S. State Visit
Some Say His Actions Were "Inappropriate"

An image showing U.S. President Donald Trump making physical contact with King Charles III of the United Kingdom, who is on a state visit to the United States, has sparked controversy.

According to British media outlets such as the Daily Mail and The Mirror on the 27th (local time), President Trump welcomed King Charles III to the White House on the first day of his U.S. state visit.

King Charles III of the United Kingdom and Queen Camilla arrived at the White House in Washington DC on the 27th (local time) and were welcomed by President Donald Trump and Mrs. Melania Trump. Photo by UPI, Yonhap News Agency

On this day, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump took commemorative photos with King Charles III and Queen Camilla. During this process, President Trump lightly tapped King Charles III on the shoulder or gently touched his arm while guiding him into the building.

Since it is considered an unwritten rule in the British royal family not to initiate physical contact until the royal initiates it first, there have been criticisms that President Trump’s actions were inappropriate.

However, according to the official website of the British royal family, there are no mandatory codes of conduct that must be observed when meeting the King, the Queen, or other members of the royal family.

On its website, the royal family explains, "The King and Queen meet thousands of people each year in the UK and overseas. Many people ask how they should behave when meeting them, but simply put, there is no obligatory code of behavior—just basic courtesy is required."

President Donald Trump was seen touching King Charles III of the United Kingdom's body, sparking controversy. The Mirror

Some have interpreted President Trump’s actions as gestures expressing personal rapport and a political message. Judi James, a body language expert, told the Daily Mail, "Compared to the overly assertive ceremonial behavior observed during their last meeting in September last year, this time was much more restrained. It was President Trump’s first ‘special’ gesture of friendship."

James noted, "King Charles III appears to be more relaxed about these matters than his mother, Queen Elizabeth II," adding, "Even for President Trump, this was a very restrained gesture—he merely placed his hand lightly and carefully on the King’s arm to guide him inside."

This is not the first time President Trump has been embroiled in controversy over physical contact with a member of the British royal family. During his visit to the UK in 2018, he was criticized for walking ahead of Queen Elizabeth II, which was considered a breach of royal protocol. During his visit last September, he was seen gripping King Charles III’s upper arm firmly.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.