PHOTOS LeBron James in hot water for touching British royalty
Apparently, when it comes to the royal family, life is just like an Arrested Development prison.
William Arthur Philip Louis, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Strathearn, Baron Carrickfergus, Knight of the Order of the Garter, Knight Companion of the Order of the Thistle, Personal Aide-de-Camp, and his wife, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, are currently on a tour of the United States of America. Earlier this week, they were in Washington D.C., where they met with President Barack Obama.
And, yesterday, they were in New York City, where the pair attended a basketball match between the Nets of Brooklyn and the Cavaliers of Cleveland. Like one does.
After the spirited match, LeBron James, who fancies himself “King,” met up with the royal couple, for smiles and photographs. And therein lay the difficulty. Because LeBron, being a nice person, decided that he would put his arm around the Duchess while the photos were being taken.
The Daily Telegraph called it a “break [of] royal protocol,” and suggested that the Duchess was surprised by the move. William’s reaction was not noted.
This is not the first time an American has raised the ire of the British press over a friendly gesture. Devotees will recall that the First Lady gave the Queen Mother a hug during a 2009 summit–a gesture which the Queen herself reciprocated fondly.
The protocol for this sort of thing harks back to the time when monarchs were seen as literal gods on earth, awarded divine status by heavenly power. It is perhaps a bit outdated.
But–and, again, to their credit–neither William nor Catherine appeared to be put off in the slightest. Or, if they were, they mashed their true feelings deep, deep down, and expressed them quietly, later, when alone.
The Cavs won, 110-81, by the way. LeBron played OK; he had 18 points on 17 shots, but paired that with seven assists.
(It was not the first time that a team from New York has lost to a superior Midwestern team by that exact score.)
