Donald Trump Sparks Confusion at State Banquet with Royal Mix-Up
Donald and Melania Trump’s second UK state visit on September 17 was marked by grandeur, with King Charles and Queen Camilla hosting a formal banquet in their honor. While the evening was filled with pomp, one particular moment from Donald’s speech quickly stole the spotlight—his apparent gaffe involving Kate Middleton.
The Banquet Blunder
During his address, Trump thanked the royal family for their hospitality but stumbled into controversy when he looked directly at the Princess of Wales and expressed gratitude to “the very, very special Queen.” His failure to mention Queen Camilla by name, while gazing at Catherine, left many wondering whether it was an innocent slip or a pointed gesture toward the future queen.
Despite the awkward moment, Trump went on to thank Charles and Camilla for their “extraordinary graciousness,” adding that he was “deeply grateful” for the honor of being the first U.S. president to make a second state visit to Britain.
Public Reaction
Once the clip went viral on X (formerly Twitter), royal watchers had plenty to say. One user suggested, “He just forgot where she [Camilla] was for a moment.”
Another speculated, “I noticed it but sort of put it down to the fact he thought briefly the Queen was sitting next to him, realized his mistake, and looked at Camilla.” Still, not everyone was convinced. A more skeptical observer wrote, “He admires Princess Catherine for what she’s been through!” One person even quipped, “Camilla ain’t gonna like that.”
Did anyone else catch it, in President Trump’s toast he looked at Catherine and said a “very, very special queen” before looking over at Camilla?
🤣😂🤣🤭— 📸𝐓𝐚𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐚 📸 (@TaMaraPhoto3) September 17, 2025
Melania and Kate’s Connection
Trump’s slip wasn’t the only moment that fueled comparisons between Camilla and Kate. Body language expert Judi James observed that Melania Trump appeared far more at ease with the Princess of Wales than with the Queen Consort.
“We saw a much less relaxed-looking version of Melania when she was being shown around Windsor Castle by the Queen,” James told the Daily Mail. While Camilla engaged in polite conversation, the atmosphere seemed stiff.
In contrast, when Melania joined Catherine during an event with the Scout Squirrels, “an endearing, more relatable version” of the First Lady emerged. According to James, “it was Kate who brought it out of her with fun-bombing body language.”
Behind-the-Scenes Tension
Adding to the intrigue, behind-the-scenes footage appeared to reveal a touch of tension. Queen Camilla was spotted subtly gesturing for Kate to move along while she spoke with Melania.
The Princess of Wales had stepped into the conversation, but Camilla, looking somewhat uneasy, waved her hand as if to shoo her toward Prince William. The brief moment only fueled speculation that Camilla remains sensitive to Kate’s overwhelming popularity.