Between protocol and embarrassment… remarkable moments in Charles’s meetings with American presidents

One of the most embarrassing situations during Charles III’s visit, in his youth, to US President Richard Nixon, in the 1970s, when he was 21 years old, was the insistence of some American officials on bringing Nixon’s daughter, Tricia, to stand next to Charles on official occasions.

Since both Charles and Tricia were single, the scene seemed somewhat strange and confusing.

This visit coincided with the period in which Charles met Camilla, who later became his wife.

In essence, the idea seemed simple and somewhat naive, as if the implicit message was saying: “You are a young man, and here is another young woman as a kind of honor or courtesy,” but this perception carried within it an uncomfortable reduction of human relations.

Even if the narrator was not present at the time, it is easy to imagine an inner voice of objection saying: “Tricia is a human being, not just a symbol or commodity of courtesy.”

An embarrassing situation

Eleven years after that first visit, Charles made another visit to the US President, Ronald Reagan, and during the visit he was offered a cup of tea, but the irony was that the tea bag remained inside the cup, which put him in an embarrassing position, as it was not clear where he should sit, or how to handle the tea in front of the audience.

Reagan himself felt a degree of embarrassment, to the point that he continued to bring up this incident in his conversations for years to come.

Here, the door to discussion can be opened about who bears responsibility for this embarrassing situation: Was he the one who served the tea without proper preparation, or Charles himself, who merely looked at the cup without acting? Perhaps it would have been more appropriate to simply remove the bag and drink the tea normally, but this may be difficult in the absence of a suitable spoon or a preconception of how to deal with the situation. Some of them may have assumed that the royal guest always used to carry his own tools while traveling.

Protocol

Unlike those previous situations, Charles’s visits to the families of Presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush did not witness any embarrassing situations of note, and remained within the framework of the usual protocol.

During his visit to President Barack Obama in 2015, Charles delivered a speech that included general criticism of the world because of its inaction in the face of climate change, which may not be entirely consistent with traditional norms based on diplomatic niceties.

However, history later demonstrated that going beyond the limits of the protocol may sometimes be necessary and useful, not necessarily because it achieves direct results, but because it provides space to talk about core issues, which constitutes one of the most important elements of what is known as “soft power.”

A more complicated visit

In contrast, the visit that King Charles intends to make at the end of this April to the White House during the era of President Donald Trump seems more complex and risky in terms of dialogue.

The meeting may turn into an area filled with tension and misunderstanding, as if it were a scene bringing together incompatible movie characters, as the human or diplomatic conditions do not seem to be prepared to make this meeting smooth or normal.

During such meetings, the king may face a series of unprotocol statements, including previous criticism of the two “old, dilapidated” British aircraft carriers, even though they bear the names “HMS Queen Elizabeth” and “HMS Prince of Wales,” which adds a more sensitive symbolic dimension to the issue.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was subjected to sharp criticism in a direct and harsh manner, but the real challenge lies in maintaining mutual respect.

Unexpected situations

The matter does not stop there, as it raises a question about whether extreme statements or positions towards religious figures, for example, may leave a long-term impact on diplomatic relations. The question also arises about the extent to which King Charles was affected by such positions, or even whether he had seen some of the controversial content.

In this context, the question remains open about the nature of the messages that may be understood from such actions, and whether they could be presented in a direct meeting with the king, which may lead to unexpected or embarrassing situations on the diplomatic level.

Until the start of King Charles’ visit, it is assumed that matters are still within the existing diplomatic framework, with the hope that everyone will remain silent or cautious in using social media until the end of the month, although the possibility of this seems very weak.

In the end, it is unlikely that the King will cancel this visit, especially since it is considered unprecedented from a historical perspective and represents a sensitive moment in relations between Britain and America.

However, the strange and unexpected nature of this stage makes the situation open to multiple possibilities, and it may require intervention or advice from political figures such as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, or even one of his companions, to give the king a safe space or a diplomatic justification if the situation requires withdrawal at some point.

It is noteworthy that Trump made a “historic” state visit to the United Kingdom in September 2025, during which he met with King Charles at Windsor Castle.

Zoe Williams*

*Writer of an article in the British newspaper The Guardian

About the Guardian

. It is unlikely that King Charles will cancel his visit to Washington, especially as it comes at a sensitive moment in relations between Britain and America.

. Trump and Charles’ meeting may turn into an area filled with tension and misunderstanding, under diplomatic circumstances that seem not prepared to make the meeting normal.