As world leaders assembled in London this week for the G20, two of the most-covered stories have been surrounding Queen Elizabeth II of England. Michelle Obama famously broke protocol with the Queen by reciprocating her embrace, which has caused quite a stir. Though much of the international response has been that of shock, perhaps the ipod presented to her by Barack Obama helped smooth things over.
Meanwhile, the Queen has “gone viral” in a YouTube video in which she shushes in exasperation the Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, known for his boisterous behavior.
Was it Eleanor or Jackie who refused to kiss the queen’s hand? Either way, I think it puts Michelle in good company. A little irreverence is expected from an American first lady, isn’t it?