King Charles III and Catherine, Princess of Wales, unintentionally caused social media excitement after a video of last week's state banquet at Windsor Castle was shared widely. The banquet came after a day of pageantry and carriage procession, during which both Charles and US President Donald Trump delivered two speeches. During two speeches, guests unexpectedly stood up, applauding for a standing ovation as Trump started to speak, although Charles and Kate remain seated.
A viral moment clashes with royal protocol
The clip, which was originally uploaded on TikTok, has already garnered thousands of views and is widely being shared on other social media platforms. As reported by Newsweek, its on-screen message said, "Everyone stands and claps after Trump's speech," before Kate sat down amidst the applause. The applause was probably not part of the scheduled program, and the king and princess might have simply been following the banquet rules instead of issuing a political statement. A palace source informed Newsweek that the state visit "went flawlessly," stating there was "genuine warmth at all tiers" between the royals and the U.S. delegation.
Social media reactions and future possibilities
Despite the clarification, plenty of excited speculation flooded TikTok. "Look, even King Charles sat down during the applause, maybe there's some protocol that makes them sit down at that moment," said one commenter. Another added, "Catherine actually was very friendly and smiley with Trump," commented another. Videos from the night also saw the princess smile with the president, highlighting the warm tone.
Trump is contemplating extending an invitation to the royal family next year to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, as reported by The Independent, although officially, no confirmation has been released on the matter. In the meantime, the banquet clip continues to fuel controversy regarding etiquette, symbolism, and the thin line between protocol and politics.
