Macron Walks Ahead: Royal Protocol Breach or Customary Gesture?
Scandalous Snub: French President Emmanuel Macron Caught Stepping Ahead of King Charles at Windsor Castle
The world was left stunned as French President Emmanuel Macron seemingly broke royal protocol by walking in front of King Charles during a ceremonial inspection at Windsor Castle, prompting comparisons to none other than the infamous Donald Trump. The shocking moment has sent shockwaves through social media, with many outraged that the French leader would dare to disrespect the British monarch.
As seen on a livestream broadcast by GB News, Macron was invited to inspect the troops in the Upper Ward of Windsor as part of his State visit. However, instead of falling in line behind the King, he took it upon himself to lead the way, striding ahead of His Majesty and reviewing the Grenadier Guards and Scots Guards.
Royal Correspondent Cameron Walker drew attention to the potential breach, noting that Macron's actions bore an uncanny resemblance to Trump's infamous snub of Queen Elizabeth II a few years ago. "On your screens now, you'll see the King is walking behind the President of France," Walker explained. "If you remember a few years ago when Queen Elizabeth II invited President Trump of the United States to inspect a guard of honour, President Trump was heavily criticized for walking in front of Her Majesty the Queen. And as you can see on your screens here, President Macron is walking in front of His Majesty the King."
Despite Walker's attempt to clarify the tradition, many viewers were left unimpressed by the optics of the French President striding ahead of Britain's sovereign. Social media erupted with criticism, with some users suggesting Macron's behavior was a deliberate snub.
"Ah, he's doing it on purpose," one furious commenter wrote. "He's French, he doesn't believe in monarchy and he's an absolute narcissist trying to feel like Napoleon for five minutes." Others echoed the suspicion, with one saying: "I bet Macron is doing it on purpose. I bet he won't get as much criticism as Trump did."
Another added: "At least Trump corrected his error by waiting for the Queen to catch up; Macron thinks he's the supreme ruler there." In the video clip, Macron was seen conversing with members of the King's Guard as King Charles walked a few paces behind – a detail not missed by eagle-eyed royal fans.
One remarked: "And conversing with the King's Guard, as though the King wasn't even there! Unbelievable."
Some royal watchers placed the onus on the monarch himself, suggesting King Charles had failed to assert his position during the formal proceedings. One commenter argued: "I don't like it, but The King has not asserted himself or held any position. By speaking at the WEF, he is basically a pawn in the game and positions himself on par with people like Macron… The King should not be aligning himself with such degeneracy."
While criticism of Macron dominated much of the online chatter, a few more diplomatic voices suggested that the order of walking may have simply followed longstanding custom in which the host monarch steps back to allow the guest head of state to lead during troop inspections.
One person said: "I think he's leading the way as he is the host." Another agreed: "He knows royal protocol."
But for many royalists, the spectacle struck a nerve, with Macron's perceived arrogance and lack of deference to the Crown sparking outrage. Whether Macron's move was a diplomatic faux pas or a customary gesture remains up for debate, but for many, the optics alone were enough to spark outrage.
TheScholarlyNote.com Exclusive: Royals in Crisis Mode as Macron's Windsor Castle Snub Sparks Backlash
As tensions continue to simmer between the French President and British monarchy, insiders close to the Royal Family have revealed that King Charles is said to be "deeply disturbed" by Macron's actions. According to sources, the monarch has been left feeling "betrayed" by the French leader's apparent disregard for royal protocol.
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