The wife of French President Brigitte Macron found herself in an embarrassing situation in front of King Charles's wife, Queen Camilla, during their joint attendance at a wreath-laying ceremony at a memorial in Normandy, France. A video went viral showing Brigitte attempting to hold Queen Camilla's hand during a moment of silence, which the latter did not welcome, causing Brigitte to retract and keep her arms at her sides.
It appears that the French president's wife did not realize that her gesture towards the queen was a breach of royal protocol, and she corrected herself after receiving the queen's reaction. The video quickly circulated, eliciting mixed opinions; some criticized the queen's behavior towards Brigitte, framing it as an "insult," while others affirmed that the actions of France's First Lady were against all protocols that prevent touching the queen.
Fox News reminded that this is not the first time royal protocol has been tested; during U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Buckingham Palace in 2009, Michelle Obama placed her arm around Queen Elizabeth. At that time, the queen smiled and momentarily stepped away from protocol, wrapping her arm around Obama in an expression of mutual affection, especially since it was the first time the queen had met her.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson, who requested anonymity due to palace policy, stated that they do not recall the last time the queen showed such a degree of public affection towards a First Lady or prominent figure. The spokesperson added, "It was a gesture of mutual and spontaneous affection. We do not issue instructions against touching the queen."
