Jimmy Carter, who passed away at the age of 99, served as President for just four years, yet he is best remembered for a significant breach of royal protocol.
In May 1977, Carter stayed at Buckingham Palace before a NATO visit, following an invitation from Queen Elizabeth II. It was during this stay that he greeted the Queen Mother, Elizabeth Bowes Lyon, by kissing her on the lips.
The Queen Mother, who died in March 2002, was not amused by Georgia-born-and-bred Carter’s Southern hospitality.
Although there are no photographs of this breach of protocol, the Queen Mother documented the incident in writing. She described how she observed Carter preparing to kiss her and attempted to evade the inappropriate gesture.
‘Nobody has done that since my husband died,’ she later said. ‘I took a sharp step backwards – not quite far enough.’
The Queen Mother’s husband, King George VI, died in 1952, meaning Carter had been the first man to kiss her on the lips in 25 years. He was also likely the last.
Usually, when greeting the Queen and other members of the Royal Family, men typically bow their head or simply shake hands.
Americans are not required to bow or curtsy. But a kiss on the lips is completely off limits, regardless of nationality.
During the visit, Carter was seen speaking with the Queen Mother and also walked alongside her into the Blue Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace.
‘At one point, as Mr Carter stood with the Queen and other guests, he noticed the arrival of the Queen Mother,’ the Associated Press detailed at the time.
‘Ever the Southern gentleman, Carter broke away, took her by the hand and escorted her to the assembled line of guests,’ the AP said, making no mention of the kiss.
In the ensuing years, all offense was forgotten, with Carter becoming known for his exceptional humility and charitable work after leaving office.
Following the Queen’s death in 2022, Carter issued a statement paying tribute to Her Majesty.
‘Rosalynn and I extend our condolences to the family of Queen Elizabeth II and the citizens of the United Kingdom. Her dignity, graciousness, and sense of duty have been an inspiration, and we join the millions around the world in mourning a remarkable leader,’ he said in a statement.
The Queen, who died in September 2022 at the age of 96 after serving as monarch for 70 years, met 13 of the 14 US presidents who served during her reign, including Carter.
The first president she met was Dwight D. Eisenhower, and Joe Biden was the last.
Lyndon B. Johnson was the only president Elizabeth II didn’t meet. He was president between the assassination of JFK in November 1963 and 1969. During that time, Johnson concentrated his diplomacy efforts on Asia and Australasia. He paid only two visits to Europe, and didn’t meet the Queen during either.
The pair could have met at JFK’s funeral, but the Queen was pregnant with her youngest son Edward at the time, and was unable to travel.
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