The royals reportedly turned their nose up at the US president
Both Prince William and Prince Charles are reported to have avoided meeting Donald Trump during his four-day “working visit” to the UK which ends today, leaving the Queen to meet the US leader alone.
The Sunday Times reports that during the planning of the visit, the pair made it clear they did not want to be involved in Trump’s trip to Windsor Castle on Friday. Prince Philip – who retired from public engagements last year – is also said to have snubbed the occasion.
The event proved to be controversial after Donald Trump and his first lady, Melania, refused to bow and curtsy when they met the Queen, instead choosing to shake hands.
A royal source told the Sunday Times: “This business of Prince Charles and William not being there for the Trump visit was a snub.
“They simply refused to attend. It is very very unusual for the Queen to be there on on her own. Usually she is accompanied by somebody.
“Prince Charles has been substituting for Prince Philip recently.”
A Whitehall official who helped plan the visit added: “The Queen will do her duty, but among the wider family, they were not as enthusiastic as they were when Obama came.”
Trump’s visit to the UK has been marked by protests across the country. He was greeted by large scale protests in London ahead of his visit, with a 20-foot-tall “Trump Baby” blimp flown above Parliament Square, and protests followed him to Scotland yesterday for the “private leg” of his visit.
