Granted, he’s still not even as reliable as a broken clock. But even Donald Trump can be right once in a blue moon.
More than 500 foreign heads of state, monarchs and dignitaries attended the event, including Biden and first lady Jill Biden.
The first family was placed in the 14th row of the church’s south transept, seven rows from the back, The Times of London reported. On his social media platform Truth Social, the former president mocked Biden by posting a photograph that showed all the assembled world leaders sitting in the abbey, with a red arrow pointing to Biden seated toward the back.
‘If I were president, they wouldn’t have sat me back there.’ Trump wrote. ‘In Real Estate, like Politics and in Life, LOCATION IS EVERYTHING!!!’
(USA Today, September 20, 2022)
He’s right. And I believe him. In fact, think whatever you will of him, the then President Trump had everyone walking on eggshells trying to cater to his fragile ego. But, truth be told, this disrespect is so obvious, the British would never have even attempted to seat Trump back there like that.
Royal protocol made them do it
They would have you believe “protocol” compelled them to relegate the leader of the free world to the 14th row. Specifically, that they had to seat members of the queen’s family, other monarchs, and leaders of Commonwealth countries all in front of the president of the United States.
Except that these are the same British who notoriously broke protocol after Princess Diana died. This, when they prevailed upon the queen to bow to public pressure by flying down from her Balmoral Castle to pay her respects. And again when that pressure forced her to bow her head to Diana’s coffin as her funeral cortege passed by.
Given that, I wish Biden’s team had the presence of mind to insist on seating him in the front or second row. They could have argued that the historic and plainly political nature of this event compelled the British to show due regard for Britain’s “special relationship” with the United States, which they themselves are so fond of bragging about.
And, if they had to, they could’ve pointed out that:
- family ties would receive their due at the private Committal Service at scheduled for later at Windsor Castle and St. George’s Chapel;
- monarchical ties haven’t redound to the benefit of the British people in any way for a single day of the queen’s 70-year reign (and that America did not fight and win the War of Independence just to have Britain show the world it can still make the American president take a back seat to European monarchs – some of whom are even living in exile…in America!);
- Commonwealth ties have always depended more on the United States than on the United Kingdom to bind them; and
- VIPs representing each of the above will be invited to the private Committal Service.
Not just to the back of the Church, but only one guest?
Truth be told, though, this should not have even been a matter for any real discussion. But Biden had only himself to blame. After all, he was put on notice after the British floated the idea of requiring him to take a shuttle bus to the church – like everybody else…
And that was like rubbing salt in a wound, coming as it did after telling Biden he could invite only one guest – his wife Jill. This, amidst news reports that they had already told the Australian prime minister could invite 10.
Dissing Obama
Meanwhile, palace courtiers were telling everyone that the queen was so fond of Barack Obama that she kept asking them to break protocol to get him to visit her even after he left the White House.
Yet Charles had him on a stand-by list – as if Obama is some odious, third-world despot! I wish they had sent a belated invitation so Obama could make a public show of his RSVP: Sorry, Charlie…
Again, the UK boasts of having a special relationship with the United States, not Australia (or any other country). So why pretend the president of the United States should be granted no greater accommodation than any other leader?
Obama took a delegation of former US presidents to Mandela’s funeral. There’s no reason Biden could not have taken a similar delegation to the queen’s.
Frankly, I think the UK will rue snubbing the United States like this, especially for excluding the Obamas so peevishly…
NOTE: CNN wasted no time tarnishing Charles’s reign by reporting yesterday on Andrew’s complicity in Jeffrey Epstein pedophile ring.
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