Donald Trump and his wife Melania may already have broken “royal protocol” on the very first morning of their UK state visit.

According to The Mirror, the former US president and First Lady were expected to meet the Prince and Princess of Wales at midday today (17 September). Instead, their Marine One helicopter only began circling over the Windsor estate at around 12:10 p.m., keeping Prince William and Kate waiting.

Minutes later, Trump and Melania were greeted by William and Kate before being escorted to Victoria House, where King Charles III and Queen Camilla were waiting.

Although Buckingham Palace stresses there are no strict rules when meeting the monarch, tradition still carries weight. Guests often bow or curtsy, and the King is formally addressed as “Your Majesty.” Yet timeliness is also considered part of the etiquette — something Charles has been vocal about before.

At his coronation in May 2023, the King and Queen arrived several minutes early and were forced to wait in their carriage before entering. According to a lip reader quoted by Sky News, Charles was heard grumbling, “We can never be on time… there’s always something. This is boring.”