President Joe Biden called in on King Charles III at Windsor Castle on Monday on his way to this week’s NATO summit, being treated to tea and talk on climate change.
The U.S. leader was met with a parade and band at Windsor Castle on Monday afternoon, the 950-year-old fortress which is a British Royal residence and the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world. The Band of the Welsh Guards played the Star Spangled Banner and Biden inspected the troops with King Charles III.
Biden appeared transfixed for a moment when he received a traditional sword salute presenting of arms from an officer of the Guards at the end of one of the lines of soldiers in the guard of honour, leaving Britain’s King Charles having to work to regain the President’s attention. Appearing confused, or even consciously ignoring Charles III, Biden seemed to be trying to engage the guardsman in conversation.
After a moment’s gesticulation and spoken remarks, the King appeared able to get the President moving in the right direction once again. In a break of protocol, after being shepherded away, President Biden threw his arm around King Charles’ back.
WINDSOR, ENGLAND – JULY 10: King Charles III and US President Joe Biden review a guard of honour at Windsor Castle on July 10, 2023 in Windsor, England. The President is visiting the UK to further strengthen the close relationship between the two nations and to discuss climate issues with King Charles III. (Photo by Ian Vogler – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
WINDSOR, ENGLAND – JULY 10: King Charles III meets with the President of the United States Joe Biden at Windsor Castle on July 10, 2023 in Windsor, England. The President is visiting the UK to further strengthen the close relationship between the two nations and to discuss climate issues with King Charles III. (Photo by Samir Hussein/WireImage)
The President and King then took tea inside, before meeting with a group of politicians and business leaders including John Kerry and the UK’s Net Zero minister Grant Shapps to talk about climate change. While Biden courted controversy over a potential snub by skipping King Charles’ coronation earlier this year, the pair have met several times before, including at the Cop26 climate forum.
While Biden enjoyed a formal welcome with honour guard, his visit to the United Kingdom was not a full state visit, which would have entailed a greater degree of formality, as well as a state banquet. 12 U.S. Presidents have made presidential visits to the United Kingdom, but just three of those have made state visits: George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump.
WINDSOR, ENGLAND – JULY 10: King Charles III and US President Joe Biden review a guard of honour at Windsor Castle on July 10, 2023 in Windsor, England. The President is visiting the UK to further strengthen the close relationship between the two nations and to discuss climate issues with King Charles III. (Photo by Kin Cheung – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
WINDSOR, ENGLAND – JULY 10: King Charles III and US President Joe Biden pose in the Grand Corridor at Windsor Castle on July 10, 2023 in Windsor, England. The President is visiting the UK to further strengthen the close relationship between the two nations and to discuss climate issues with King Charles III. (Photo by Andrew Matthews – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
WINDSOR, ENGLAND – JULY 10: King Charles III and US President Joe Biden arrive to meet participants of the Climate Finance Mobilisation forum in the Green Drawing Room at Windsor Castle as Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero Grant Shapps (4th R) and United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry (3rd R) stand nearby on July 10, 2023 in Windsor, England. The President is visiting the UK to further strengthen the close relationship between the two nations and to discuss climate issues with King Charles III. (Photo by Andrew Matthews – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
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