# So What's This I Hear About Michelle Obama Forcing The Queen of England To **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 3, 2009, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-this-i-hear-about-michelle-obama-forcing-the-queen-of-england-to/491880 "2009-04-03T16:35:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-this-i-hear-about-michelle-obama-forcing-the-queen-of-england-to/491880/21 "2009-04-04T15:42:12Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Basic protocol dictates that you don’t touch the Queen, except to shake her hand when she offers it. Or, presumably, to make with the interracial lesbian bondage butt sex. When, or perhaps better to say if, she offers it. Hey, that’s nothing. Ya hear the one about [Catherine the Great and her horse](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/100/is-it-true-about-catherine-the-great-and-the-horse)? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-this-i-hear-about-michelle-obama-forcing-the-queen-of-england-to/491880/22 "2009-04-04T15:43:52Z")
> [@Shirley\_Ujest](#): > > Did the queen invite her over for coffee afterwards? Of course not, they both smoked a cigarette. And they passed it back and forth so they were swapping spit too. This was as close as they could get because of the rule, “no tongues on the queen”. And the dildo? Well that was to get around yet another rule, whoch need not be detailed. BTW, a little known fact… in these situations, it is mandatory to use royal jelly. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-this-i-hear-about-michelle-obama-forcing-the-queen-of-england-to/491880/23 "2009-04-04T17:54:36Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Royal Officials have come out to say that there was no breach of protocol, as Mrs Obama is not a Royal Subject American Revolution: 1 King George the third: 0 ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-this-i-hear-about-michelle-obama-forcing-the-queen-of-england-to/491880/24 "2009-04-04T18:04:10Z")
The queen looks like my grandmother. I’ll have the rest of the brain bleach, please. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-this-i-hear-about-michelle-obama-forcing-the-queen-of-england-to/491880/25 "2009-04-04T18:16:52Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > Respect, but no one has to bow, curtsy, or avoid normal human contact. We don’t dip our flag either. So why the fuss when Obama had a chat with the Marine outside Marine One? ---
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-this-i-hear-about-michelle-obama-forcing-the-queen-of-england-to/491880/26 "2009-04-04T19:10:11Z")
What?? I haven’t even heard of this. If it happened, it didn’t cause much of a ‘fuss.’ ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-this-i-hear-about-michelle-obama-forcing-the-queen-of-england-to/491880/27 "2009-04-04T19:59:11Z")
> [@autz](#): > > What?? I haven’t even heard of this. If it happened, it didn’t cause much of a ‘fuss.’ It happened. Check the video upthread. The fuss was, as I indicated in my OP, mostly on Fox News and the Brit tabloid press – everyone else was too grown up about it to give it more than a passing mention. My OP was mocking them for getting so worked up about it. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-this-i-hear-about-michelle-obama-forcing-the-queen-of-england-to/491880/28 "2009-04-04T20:26:46Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > It happened. Check the video upthread. The fuss was, as I indicated in my OP, mostly on Fox News and the Brit tabloid press – everyone else was too grown up about it to give it more than a passing mention. My OP was mocking them for getting so worked up about it. The British press seemed mostly surprised that the Queen was being so tactile (as far as royal touchy-feeliness goes), the consensus being that her and Mrs Obama got on really well. Mrs Obama gave a heartfelt speech at a London school on the visit and was swamped by young lassies afterwards - it was quite funny watching the security people not being very sure what to do with your First Lady being in danger of being hugged to death. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-this-i-hear-about-michelle-obama-forcing-the-queen-of-england-to/491880/29 "2009-04-04T21:41:34Z")
> [@madmonk28](#): > > Of course these same people were surely outraged when Nancy Reagan refused to curtsey to the Queen when she was first lady. They shouldn’t have been. Curtseying is a gesture of obeisance and is only appropriate if you are a subject of the monarch in question. As a Canadian I would be supposed to bow (although they don’t fuss about it now) but Nancy wasn’t supposed to curtsey in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-this-i-hear-about-michelle-obama-forcing-the-queen-of-england-to/491880/30 "2009-04-04T22:05:14Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > As a Canadian I would be supposed to bow (although they don’t fuss about it now) but Nancy wasn’t supposed to curtsey in the first place. I thought as a Nancy-boy you’d be expected to curtsey. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-this-i-hear-about-michelle-obama-forcing-the-queen-of-england-to/491880/31 "2009-04-04T23:05:19Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > Her office was apparently denying that they issue “don’t touch Her Majesty!” instructions (these days?) as well. From my experience this is true. They do, however, issue very clear instructions as to where and when they will receive particular alcoholic drinks. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2009, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-this-i-hear-about-michelle-obama-forcing-the-queen-of-england-to/491880/32 "2009-04-04T23:15:53Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > I thought as a Nancy-boy you’d be expected to curtsey. 😃 My hem line isn’t low enough. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2009, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-this-i-hear-about-michelle-obama-forcing-the-queen-of-england-to/491880/33 "2009-04-05T00:19:54Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > People also keep seeming to miss the fact that the Queen made the first move. That’s my understanding, too. Tempest in a teapot, IMHO. And the customary nitpick about her title: she’s the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, not the “Queen of England,” as such. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2009, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-this-i-hear-about-michelle-obama-forcing-the-queen-of-england-to/491880/34 "2009-04-05T01:56:03Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > As a Canadian I would be supposed to bow That’s pirouette since '77. ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2009, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-this-i-hear-about-michelle-obama-forcing-the-queen-of-england-to/491880/35 "2009-04-05T02:47:08Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > That’s my understanding, too. Tempest in a teapot, IMHO. > > And the customary nitpick about her title: she’s the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, not the “Queen of England,” as such. Maybe someday I’ll start referring to her as “Defender of the Faith” just to confuse people more. Or as the Queen of Tuvalu. She’s got a few titles, no reason to stick to just one. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2009, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-this-i-hear-about-michelle-obama-forcing-the-queen-of-england-to/491880/36 "2009-04-05T03:57:45Z")
Fuck protocol. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2009, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-this-i-hear-about-michelle-obama-forcing-the-queen-of-england-to/491880/37 "2009-04-05T04:16:07Z")
> [@ParentalAdvisory](#): > > Fuck protocol. No, it doesn’t look like Fuck Protocol needed to come into play yet. At most I’d say Cop-a-Feel protocol had to be invoked. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-this-i-hear-about-michelle-obama-forcing-the-queen-of-england-to/491880/38 "2009-04-06T07:53:32Z")
Hell, I’m not a subject, but If I ever met the Queen I’d probably bow. How often do you get an opportunity to bow to someone with a straight face? I’d even wear a cape and a rapier for the occasion. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-this-i-hear-about-michelle-obama-forcing-the-queen-of-england-to/491880/39 "2009-04-06T12:37:10Z")
It may be old protocol, but one generally does not appear armed in front of the monarch. That may have gone the way of not copping a feel though… ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-this-i-hear-about-michelle-obama-forcing-the-queen-of-england-to/491880/40 "2009-04-06T13:49:02Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > It may be old protocol, but one generally does not appear armed in front of the monarch. That may have gone the way of not copping a feel though… Wait - if you’re not supposed to be armed, how are you supposed to shake her hand? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-this-i-hear-about-michelle-obama-forcing-the-queen-of-england-to/491880.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-this-i-hear-about-michelle-obama-forcing-the-queen-of-england-to/491880.md?page=3)