State Visit from the President of the United States: June 3-5, 2019

[Duc_et_Pair]

Come on. In Paris Mme Macron suddenly finds herself the lady host at the Palais de l'Élysée, just because her husband has won the presidential elections. Suddenly she stands there and receives the President of China, whatever.

No one has asked Brigitte Macron or Melania Trump. They just do it. Meghan is an experienced actor. She is probably the best of all to pretend the gentleman next to her has just told a most priceless anecdote indeed, then to turn to the Archbishop of Canterbury and ask about the meaning of Pentecost, while discreetly picking a haricot vert in her mouth.

 

[jacqui24]

The order of entrance is not necessarily the order of precedence. It is organized by the logistics of the table seating. There is a carré of tables and each table is "presided" by a royal in the middle. To achieve a smooth procession the order of entrance is often adjusted to the seating arrangement.

Yet, we would never see Princess Alexandra or Princess Michael of Kent and so on walk in ahead of Sophie. It seems seating and entrance are worked out to follow closely enough.

Meghan is an experienced actor. She is probably the best of all to pretend the gentleman next to her has just told a most priceless anecdote indeed, then to turn to the Archbishop of Canterbury and ask about the meaning of Pentecost, while discreetly picking a haricot vert in her mouth.

Have to admit, got a good chuckle visualizing that.

 

[Mbruno]

Usually the grandsons of the Sovereign rank behind the sons of the Sovereign:

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall

The Duke of York

The Earl and Countess of Wessex

The Princess Royal and Vice-Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester

The Duke and Duchess of Kent

Prince and Princess Michael of Kent

Princess Alexandra, the Hon. Lady Ogilvy

Not in state dinner processions. William always walks ahead of his uncles and Harry did so too in the Spanish state banquet.

 

[muriel]

What diplomatic incidents exactly?

It is unfortunate, but not unreasonable, for Meghan to have made anti-Trump statements prior to entering royal life. The fact is the maternity leave was a perfect way to avoid them meeting, and there being any potentially uncomfortable comments from Trump to Meghan. Whilst that would be terribly undiplomatic of Trump, it would not have been an unlikely situation.

And I love that people continue to harp on hierarchy. While her husband, and by extension her, are behind some, they are ahead of plenty more.

Not quite sure what is it that you were trying to communicate, but my point was a simple one: she is hardly so senior that her absence at a state visit is in any way noteworthy.

 

[jacqui24]

Not quite sure what is it that you were trying to communicate, but my point was a simple one: she is hardly so senior that her absence at a state visit is in any way noteworthy.

Yet her absence has consistently made it into articles. More so than some that attended events.

 

[Jacknch]

Let’s move on please, this thread is not about the Duchess of Sussex or orders of precedent or, indeed, journalists. Let’s also avoid bickering again. Thank you.

 

[polyesco]

Sorry but had to share, Trump twitted that he just met with the "Queen of England" and the "Prince of Whales" ?
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D885LArW4AA1MKg.jpg:large
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-48622001

sums up the state visit for me

 

[Frelinghighness]

Sorry but had to share, Trump twitted that he just met with the "Queen of England" and the "Prince of Whales" ?
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D885LArW4AA1MKg.jpg:large
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-48622001

sums up the state visit for me

In fact he probably is the Prince of Whales for all his advocacy on climate change and the environment.

 

[Fijiro]

Oh no

 

[jacqui24]

For those wondering, it's not auto-correct. I checked.

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

Sorry but had to share, Trump twitted that he just met with the "Queen of England" and the "Prince of Whales" ?
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D885LArW4AA1MKg.jpg:large
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-48622001

sums up the state visit for me

More like; sums up his IQ levels It really irks me when non-royal watchers refer to HM as the Queen "of England". I'd expect this sort of tweet from Joe down the road but the president of one of the world's biggest powers should know a lot, lot better.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Prince of Whales.

If it was just the first gaffe it would not matter.


But you know how you just can't be embarrassed any more than you already are....you're just kind of numb at this point??

 

[ladongas]

Should...but doesn’t.

 

[CTchic]

The outgoing Press secretary Sarah Sanders requested an autograph of the state dinner menu from Prince Charles. He sadly obliged. I find it incredibly crass that she asked. Last I heard, royals are not celebs.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1139513288511950848

 

[muriel]

The outgoing Press secretary Sarah Sanders requested an autograph of the state dinner menu from Prince Charles. He sadly obliged. I find it incredibly crass that she asked. Last I heard, royals are not celebs.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1139513288511950848

They may not autograph for the general public, but this was a close aide of a visiting HEad of State. Very differemt circumstances, IMO

 

[Lumutqueen]

The outgoing Press secretary Sarah Sanders requested an autograph of the state dinner menu from Prince Charles. He sadly obliged. I find it incredibly crass that she asked. Last I heard, royals are not celebs.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1139513288511950848

I can see that going up on eBay in a few years. Shame Prince Charles chose to oblige.

 

[CTchic]

They may not autograph for the general public, but this was a close aide of a visiting HEad of State. Very different

Hmm sure I don't trust her.

 

[jacqui24]

Does she, along with Steve Mnuchin and the Trumps, not understand this is a state event and not their personal holidays?

 

[loonytick]

Does she, along with Steve Mnuchin and the Trumps, not understand this is a state event and not their personal holidays?

There’s long-standing custom in DC of high-ranking officials kindly agreeing to sign the programs of lower-ranking folks, especially if the event in question can count as that person’s first in some way. You can see it in the television coverage of the annual State of the Union address; as the President slowly makes his way out after the speech, new members of Congress gather at the aisle for handshakes and to give their program to the president to sign. I’ve heard that White House staffers often get SOTU programs signed every year. Those programs are treasured as private keepsakes. Coming from that custom, I can see why it would feel natural to Sanders to ask the prince to sign the program of what us likely the grandest state dinner she’s attended (and what she likely already knew would be her final state dinner).

That said, she should have been briefed that the customs are not the same in the UK.

 

[muriel]

Hmm sure I don't trust her.

Be that as it may, state visits and banquets are not about personalities, but the offices they hold at the time.

 

[Mbruno]

The outgoing Press secretary Sarah Sanders requested an autograph of the state dinner menu from Prince Charles. He sadly obliged. I find it incredibly crass that she asked. Last I heard, royals are not celebs.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1139513288511950848

She is running for governor of Arkansas BTW and chances are she will probably win the race if she gets the Republican because nomination.

 

[Frelinghighness]

She is not running for governor. Trump said she should, his Words do not make it real

 

[jacqui24]

There’s long-standing custom in DC of high-ranking officials kindly agreeing to sign the programs of lower-ranking folks, especially if the event in question can count as that person’s first in some way. You can see it in the television coverage of the annual State of the Union address; as the President slowly makes his way out after the speech, new members of Congress gather at the aisle for handshakes and to give their program to the president to sign. I’ve heard that White House staffers often get SOTU programs signed every year. Those programs are treasured as private keepsakes. Coming from that custom, I can see why it would feel natural to Sanders to ask the prince to sign the program of what us likely the grandest state dinner she’s attended (and what she likely already knew would be her final state dinner).

That said, she should have been briefed that the customs are not the same in the UK.

There is a difference between asking your president or Supreme Court justice to sign something for keepsake than do it at a State event with a foreign dignitary.

 

[AC21091968]

Sorry about this very late post.

Sarah Vine, columnist for the Daily Mail and also Michael Gove's (then Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) wife wrote about the event of the State Banquet for President Trump's State Visit. She did mention that had Jeremy Corbyn (then Leader of the Opposition) and other Shadow Cabinet members or Shadow Secretary of State accepted the invite and attended, she would not "make the cut". She also mentioned

"Of course, it wasn’t really me who was invited, it was my husband who, as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, has actually earned his place at that table — with many others equally, if not more, worthy."​

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7105165/SARAH-VINE-majestic-night-Donald.html

This article was published on 5th June 2019