U.S. President Joe Biden met with Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom for the first time, having breached "royal protocol" during the G7 summit. Biden's motorcade, consisting of 18 vehicles, arrived in Cornwall for an evening reception for officials participating in the summit, just five minutes after Queen Elizabeth's arrival.
According to protocols concerning such occasions related to the royal family, guests are expected to be present at the venue before the queen arrives, not afterward, as occurred with Biden. The British newspaper "Daily Mail" reported that the company "Debrett's," which specializes in providing courses on etiquette and formal protocols, stated that "the royal protocol includes a fundamental rule: to arrive before the members of the royal family at any event, and to leave after them."
Queen Elizabeth hosted leaders of the Group of Seven major industrial nations at an evening reception where members of the British royal family mingled with some of the most influential politicians in the world. This event, which was closed to most media outlets, saw the attendance of royal family members, world leaders, and their spouses. Three generations of the royal family were present at the event, which took place on the first evening of the three-day summit in Cornwall, southwestern England.
Prince William and his wife Kate joined Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, who were participating in G7 events for the first time, according to the Associated Press. This gathering was the first public occasion for members of the royal family since the funeral of Prince Philip, the queen's husband, in April. During the reception, the queen met President Biden for the first time since he took office, making him the 13th U.S. president to meet the British queen since she ascended the throne 69 years ago, according to Reuters.
