Former US President Donald Trump arrived in London on the evening of 16/9/2023 and attended a welcome ceremony at Windsor Castle the following morning. After stepping out of his helicopter, he waved, shook hands with Prince William, then greeted and shook hands with Princess Catherine, complimenting her, "You're beautiful. Very beautiful."

The Princess seemed unfazed by the remark, maintaining a smile as she turned to shake hands with former First Lady Melania Trump. The 4 then walked across the lawn to greet King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

Justin Vovk, a royal historian at the Canadian Crown Research Institute, stated that Trump's comment didn't violate royal protocol. "But in my opinion, it does violate the unspoken rules of personal diplomacy," Vovk said.

Later, during a state banquet speech at Windsor Castle, Trump again mentioned Princess Catherine. "Melania and I were very happy to see Prince William and Princess Catherine again. She looks radiant, healthy, and beautiful," he said, referring to his notes and turning to address Princess Catherine seated to his right.

According to Vovk, such direct compliments are characteristic of Trump at formal events. He previously described Prince William as "a very handsome man" and complimented Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, saying "You look fantastic" during a White House meeting in August 2023.

He also complimented a female reporter in the Oval Office as "beautiful" and expressed his "hope to see more beautiful reporters like you here" during a June 2023 press conference.

During a 2017 state visit to France, he remarked to former First Lady Brigitte Macron, "You're in such great shape," then turned to former President Macron and added, "She's in great physical shape."

Robert Finch, chairman of the Monarchist League of Canada, found Trump's compliment to Princess Catherine "a bit odd" but noted, "He often compliments people's appearance upon meeting them. So, he complimented Princess Catherine as well."

However, Vovk felt the action put the British royal family in an awkward position. "The atmosphere was quite awkward," Vovk said. "How do you respond to such a compliment without making the situation uncomfortable or appearing to reject the compliment?"

He added, "I think it reflects the difference in leadership style, values, and cultural differences between someone like the former US president and a 1,000-year-old monarchy like Britain's."

Hong Hanh (According to CBC)