President Donald Trump may have secured his long-awaited meeting with Britain's Queen Elizabeth II last week, but it appears the monarch may not have been particularly happy to see him.
According to The Hill, the Queen wore a brooch given to her by former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama on the day of Trump arrived in the country, which has been seen by many as a subtle attack on the current president, who is widely unpopular in the U.K.
Also known as the American State Visit brooch, the jewelry was gifted to the 92-year-old ruler by the Obamas during their 2011 trip to the U.K. The 14-karat gold item was made in the U.S. in 1950 from yellow gold, diamonds and moss agate. It was chosen from Washintgon, D.C.'s Tiny Jewel Box store.
Queen Elizabeth II poses for a photograph with Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury (L) and Sheikh Ahmad Al-Tayeb, Grand Imam of Al Azhar (R) during an audience at Windsor Castle on July 12, 2018—the day President Trump arrived in the country—in Windsor, U.K. She is wearing the American State Visit brooch. Steve Parsons - WPA Pool/Getty Images
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The meeting between the Queen and current president—the twelfth American commander-in-chief of her 66-year reign—did not go as smoothly as planned.
After arriving 12 minutes late, Trump joined the Queen in a courtyard of the historic Windsor Castle to review a British guard of honor, who played the American national anthem before marching past. A video of the troop inspection went viral last week, showing the president walking in front of the Queen, forcing her to jostle for space next to him.
Though the monarch can be seen trying to usher Trump in the correct direction, the president seemed oblivious as he wandered along. His behavior was not a breach of official protocol, but has been widely criticized as disrespectful by several British newspapers. After the awkward ceremony was over, Trump and wife Melania joined the Queen for afternoon tea inside the castle.
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U.S. President Donald Trump and Britain's Queen Elizabeth II inspect a Guard of Honor at Windsor Castle on July 13, 2018 in Windsor, U.K. Richard Pohle - WPA Pool/Getty Images
Trump later incorrectly claimed this was the first time the Queen had reviewed her royal guard for 70 years. The monarch has been on the throne for only 66 years, and has been seen inspecting her elite troops countless times.
During this portion of the visit, the Queen was wearing a brooch handed down by her mother, known for its appearance at the state funeral of her father George VI in 1952. Whether this too was a sly comment on her enthusiasm for Trump's company is unclear.
The Trump visit to Windsor Castle took less than an hour. It was reported that Prince William and Prince Charles refused to meet the president—allegedly because of distasteful remarks he made about Princess Diana shortly after her death in 1997. However, Buckingham Palace later said their involvement was never part of the plan for the visit.
As Trump sipped on royal tea, tens of thousands of protesters swamped central London in demonstrations against his visit. Already unpopular among Britons, Trump did himself no favors by undermining Prime Minister Theresa May, lambasting London Mayor Sadiq Khan and criticizing British policy on immigration and Brexit in an interview days before he arrived.
President Obama and Michelle visited the U.K. several times during his two terms, and the couple is known to be close to both Prince Harry and Prince William.
US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama greet Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at the Winfield House in London, U.K., on May 25, 2011. JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
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