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By Alice Gibbs
Senior Reporter
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Senator Ted Cruz has been criticized online after a video of him meeting King Charles III at a White House garden party went viral. But viewers focused less on a light-hearted exchange involving the senator’s daughters and more on the Texas Republican’s decision to keep his sunglasses on while speaking to the British monarch.
The footage, shared by USA News on X, has attracted more than 1.9 million views, showing King Charles greeting Cruz, his daughters and other attendees at an outdoor event hosted by President Donald Trump on Monday, April 27.
During the interaction, the king joked with Cruz’s daughters about their upcoming exams, quipping that they would fail because they were spending time with him instead of studying—and that it would be his fault.
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While the remark appeared to be taken in good humor, online attention quickly shifted to Cruz himself after viewers noticed he did not remove his sunglasses during the exchange.
Sunglasses Draw Attention
The moment sparked a wave of criticism on social media, with several users framing the sunglasses as inappropriate under the circumstances.
On social media platform X, one user wrote that Cruz wearing sunglasses showed “a height of disrespect toward his guest,” while another described the gesture as “a disgrace.” A third commented: “Please don’t wear sunglasses when meeting people. It’s rude not to look each other in the eye.”
While another X user asked: “Does Cruz have an eye condition?”
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Is There Royal Protocol About Sunglasses?
According to the Royal Family’s own guidance, there are no obligatory codes of behavior when meeting the king—but traditional forms are strongly encouraged.
That said, etiquette experts and former royal staff have repeatedly said sunglasses should be removed during formal greetings or prolonged conversations with the monarch.
Grant Harrold, King Charles’ former butler, previously told Newsweek that sunglasses should be removed when meeting the monarch because eye contact is considered an important sign of respect.
In February 2025, fashion editor Anna Wintour—famous for wearing sunglasses at nearly all public appearances—was photographed removing her glasses while greeting the monarch.
But in 2021, when then-President Joe Biden met Queen Elizabeth II, he also did not remove his sunglasses. Though at the time, the queen did not appear to react badly, sharing several moments of laughter with Biden and the first lady.
When it comes to potential breaches of royal protocol, there are several presidents that have made mistakes while meeting the British monarch.
Back in 1991, George Bush Sr. was criticized when he made his speech first and did not adjust the microphone stand for the queen, who stood at just 5 feet 4 inches tall, leaving her hidden behind the microphone as cameras filmed the event.
During a state banquet at Buckingham Palace in June 2019, Trump was also noted for slipping up when following his speech, the late queen stood for his toast but, as she rose from her seat, Trump appeared to touch her on the back. Uninvited physical contact with royals is considered a breach of etiquette.
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