Did Queen Camilla make a handbag faux pas during King Charles’ landmark moment?

Queen Camilla was faced with a tricky decision while on royal tour in the US with her husband King Charles and it has come under scrutiny

ing Charles and Queen Camilla’s successful trip across the pond may be over, but we are still poring over the incredible footage, and there’s a flurry of chat that continues online. In a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment ahead of King Charles’ landmark speech at US Congress, Queen Camilla seamlessly placed her designer handbag on the ground. The subtle move has sparked a debate online – should you ever place your bag on the floor, and was this the right thing to do on this occasion?

Alison M. Cheperdak is an etiquette coach, and she’s unpacked the brief moment for Fox Local News. She describes it as a “game-time decision” for the Queen, remarking that she had a split second to choose between the floor or the chair. She also says it is an “oversight” on behalf of royal staff, who should have thought about these arrangements.

© Alamy Stock Photo
Queen Camilla looked on in a white outfit as King Charles addressed a joint meeting of Congress

One Instagram user praised Camilla for her humble move. “I think it shows humility that she put it on the floor. It would have been distracting on the table. Well done,” they penned. Another added: “I would have done that. It’s not a wedding reception, they’re working and would have been rude to hold it.” Conversely, a third quizzed: “Why didn’t she put it in the chair that’s right behind her? Or just hold it? I feel like QE2 just held her purse. As an Asian person, never on the floor. But also – who in the hosting staff position didn’t make sure this was taken care of?”

© Alamy Stock Photo
Camilla placed the bag on the floor ahead of Charles’ address

While placing a bag on the ground isn’t commonplace for royalty, it seems as though Camilla made a quick-thinking decision and wanted the focus to remain firmly on her husband King Charles, who has been heralded around the world after his iconic US tour. After the joint US tour, the couple parted ways for Charles to fly to Bermuda for more royal engagements and Camilla to go back home. Could Camilla’s anxiety be to blame for Charles’ solo leg of the trip?

Queen Elizabeth II’s handbag

© POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Queen Elizabeth II always had a handbag with her

Many people in the comments section speculated about what King Charles’ late mother Queen Elizabeth II would have done if faced with that scenario. The late Queen’s boxy handbag was always firmly attached to her arm, and there’s apparently an underlying reason for this.

Gerald Bodmer is the owner of one of the late Majesty’s favourite handbag brands, Launer, and he told HELLO! that during meet-and-greets, the royal used to choose to “drop the bag to one side in a certain manner, telling her staff it’s time for her to move on.”