Sunday, 17 Nov 2024

Royal GAFFE: How US President gifted Queen Elizabeth II with AWKWARD item

The US President and the First Lady arrived in the UK yesterday for an official state visit. On Monday morning, the couple were greeted by the Queen, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall with a welcome ceremony, which included a private lunch and a guided tour of the Royal Collection. As is tradition, Mr Trump and Her Majesty also exchanged lavish gifts.

The Trumps decided to bring a Tiffany & Co. silver and silk poppy brooch in a custom White House wood jewellery box in a red leather box for Queen Elizabeth II and for her husband, Prince Philip, they brought a personalised Air Force One jacket and signed autobiography by American General and famed World War 2 air commander James Doolittle, “I Could Never Be So Lucky Again”.

In return, the Queen gifted Mr Trump a rare crimson covered book, penned by Winston Churchill on World War 2 and Melania received a specially made silver box with an enamel lid.

It is not the first time that gift exchanges between the US and the Royal Family have caught the attention of royal watchers.

According to a newly-resurfaced report, in 2009, former US President Barack Obama gave the Queen an iPod filled with photos from his inauguration and clips of his speeches.

The gift was heavily criticised at the time, with people claiming it was gauche.

Moreover, Her Majesty reportedly already owned an iPod.

In 2012, the gesture was also criticised by then business tycoon Mr Trump, who wrote on Twitter: “Another example of Barack Obama’s diplomatic triumphs – he gave the Queen of England an iPod filled with his speeches.”

It was not the only royal gaffe Mr Obama was involved in.

According to a newly-resurfaced report, Mr Obama suffered an awkward moment during a banquet at Buckingham Palace in 2011.

The US President had just begun proposing a toast to the Queen when the orchestra accidentally started striking up God Save The Queen.

Seated between the Queen and the Duchess of Cornwall, Mr Obama got to his feet and addressed the guests saying: “Ladies and gentlemen, please stand with me and raise your glasses as I propose a toast.

“To Her Majesty the Queen.”

Mistakenly believing that was their cue, the orchestra of the Scots Guard began playing the national anthem, but Mr Obama continued: “For the vitality of the special relationship between our peoples and in the words of Shakespeare to ‘this blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England’.”

He then raised his glass, concluding “to the Queen”, but he seemed confused as she did not respond.

At the time, many watchers accused Her Majesty of humiliating Mr Obama but royal commentators suggested it was only because the Queen is not allowed to raise her glass while the anthem is playing.

As soon as it ended, she indeed accepted the toast and thanked him for his “very kind words”.

The day after, President Obama joked that the musical mistake during his toast to the monarch was “like a soundtrack” to his speech.

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