No, Princess Anne Wasn't Snubbing Trump With That Shrug

Caroline Hallemann
Photo credit: WPA Pool - Getty Images
Photo credit: WPA Pool - Getty Images

From Town & Country

Between her depiction in the latest season of The Crown, and two new videos that went viral last night, Princess Anne is having a serious moment on the internet. But one of the clips of the Queen's daughter making the rounds on Twitter isn't exactly what it seems.

The video below shows the Queen and Prince Charles greeting President Trump and Melania during the NATO reception at Buckingham Palace. Then, the Queen looks over at Princess Anne, who shrugs, smiles, and says something inaudible.

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Many on social media took that shrug as Princess Anne snubbing President Trump, perhaps suggesting that she did not want to meet him. Here's just one example of that type of Tweet:

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But today, royal reporter Valentine Low shared the real story behind the footage.

"The Queen, after greeting the Donald (and the Melania), turned to Anne to see who was next. But there wasn't anyone waiting: Trump was the last leader to be received by the Queen," he wrote on Twitter.

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"Anne raised her hands in the air, laughed and said: 'It's just me,' adding a moment later 'and this lot' as she pointed to the members of the household behind her."

According to Low, this recounting of the scene comes from Press Association journalist Laura Elston, "who is as impartial a witness as you could hope for." But he also acknowledged that the true account of what happened might not catch fire as quickly as the narrative that Anne was snubbing Trump. "So, the truth is now out there. Not that anyone will pay any attention. Anne the Trump Snubber is a much better story," he wrote.

Read his full thread here.

Royal expert Victoria Arbiter also clarified that she was never meant to be greeting guests in the receiving line that evening.

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That said, another clip of the Princess Royal making the rounds on Twitter suggests she was part of a conversation about the U.S. President. In the footage below, her signature bouffant can be seen next to Canadian President Justin Trudeau as he seemingly discusses Trump's lengthy press conference, without mentioning the President by name. Princess Anne does appear to participate in the conversation, but it is impossible to make out what she says.

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Trump has since responded to the clip calling Trudeau "two-faced."

“Well, he’s two-faced,” the president said when asked about Trudeau by reporters ahead of a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. He then added, “He’s a nice guy. I find him to be a very nice guy.”

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