Mavens of etiquette are breathing a deep sigh of relief that the biggest mistakes that President George Bush made during this week’s visit by Queen Elizabeth II were tripping on his tongue, winking at a fellow head of state, and saying she looked matronly. But don’t sigh with too much relief.
This just sounds like another example of his folksy, down-home, brush-clearin’ charm clashing with some stiff old dame. However, the gaffe and fumbled apology show a real difference.
The reality is that, whatever the view of the continued existence of a monarchy in a supposedly developed democracy, the queen is a pro. Brenda (as she is quasi-lovingly known in the UK) has two jobs. Firstly, defend “the Firm” (as the Royal family is less lovingly called), and secondly, be a floating ambassador. Her nuanced grasp of diplomacy and cultural differences has been pivotal in helping keep the UK a power-player internationally, especially in the factious development of the Commonwealth, a trade alliance of most of Britain’s previous colonies.
Bush’s grand contribution to the diplomatic canon reads like a “how not to” guide. Highlights include yelling, “Yo, Blair!” at his last remaining noteworthy North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ally, trying to give German premier Andrea Merkel a back-rub, and wholly failing to understand the dynamics of Arabic and Persian geo-religio-politics – and that was all at one G8 meeting.
Oh, well, at least he’s still not as bad as her hubby, Prince “faux pas” Philip.
This article appears in May 4 • 2007.
