The day it occurred, it appeared awkward and people were clearly not happy. Matt’s family is from England, and his mother told me how incredibly appalled she was that Michelle Obama shook hands with the Queen. Apparently, although I didn’t see it and cannot seem to find the handshake clip, the first lady pushed past her husband and extended her hand rather than curtsy as per protocol. The day it happened, the news that came out reflected a sense of anticipation, as if the whole world waited with baited breath to see what would be made of the breach of conduct.
Now when you search for news results all that surfaces are pages of links with variations of Michelle Obama charms the Queen. Charms is the key phrase and any negative reaction is buried far beyond reach. It smells fishy and I assume there are PR teams at work to spin it in a positive light. But maybe I’m wrong, maybe the Queen was charmed. Maybe she didn’t mind the tall American lady stepping past her husband, our president, and thrusting her hand out as if she were the more important of the two. Maybe she didn’t mind as this same lady, who after being briefed on English customs, chose to disregard those customs, that heritage, and to do as she saw fit. Maybe the Queen doesn’t mind; only time will tell. If the first lady receives another personal invite and hug then I’ll agree with the media. If not, well, does it really matter? So here’s to hugs, handshakes, and Ipods and the way they shake up our world.
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