Protocol Abandoned as Queen Elizabeth II Puts Her Arm on First Lady Michelle Obama's Back, She Reciprocates

When First Lady Michelle Obama put her arm around Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace yesterday, some bickered that she had committed a breach of protocol. On the contrary. What the media decided to play up with Michelle Obama's hug and not who initiated the show of obvious affection and appreciation. It was her Majesty, the Queen. Yep, the Queen has some soul! She can show affection, in public. That was the real story in this event. Of course, this is contrary to anything we know about the Queen or have seen in the past. She is not known for being so warm and accommodating in public. Yes, the Queen has a brand new bag!

It is less than 20 years ago that the Australian Prime Minister was branded “the Lizard of Oz” for committing the supposedly heinous crime of putting his hand on the Queen’s back during an official tour of Australia.

Now the Queen is not just putting up with physical gestures of affection from a woman she has only just met, but is reciprocating with one of her own. The footage does not make it clear who made the first move. But given the Queen’s track record - she is not a woman known for doing warm, at least not in public - the fact that Mrs Obama is American, and that the President spent most of the first part of the day putting his arm round Gordon Brown, it can safely be assumed that it was the First Lady who took the initiative. U.K. Times Online

Apparently this was no breach of protocol, as many have said. Buckingham Palace was reportedly very relaxed today about the incident, and attitudes there have changed significantly since the days of Mr Keating and his lese-majesty. “This was a mutual and spontaneous display of affection and appreciation between The Queen and Michelle Obama,” said a Palace spokeswoman.

From all the footage we have seen of their encounter, it is quite obvious that the Queen and the Obamas got along well. They joked together and by the time they posed for the picture, they were, according to the Times Online, acting like old friends. That says a whole lot about President and Mrs. Obama, considering that they had only just met that day. He has accomplished his mission on that front, let's see what happens at the G-20 meeting today. I am confident that he will get what he wants or come close to it. And folks, sometimes protocol is not such a big deal, as evidenced from Queen Elizabeth's actions towards Mrs. Obama.

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