Bill Gates Once Broke the Royal Greeting Protocols to Meet Queen Elizabeth That Left Her Fans Fuming

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates once broke the royal protocols of greeting Queen Elizabeth II leaving her fans miffed for a long time. Gates was accused of being disrespectful to the late British monarch when he met her in Windsor Castle back in 2021. The Queen had invited 100 business tycoons and envoys for a reception after the global investment summit in London. 

The 95-year-old Queen made sure she met the invited people personally as she shook hands with them amid the fears of Covid-19 pandemic. Gates waited with a group of industry heads to meet the royal family members. The American mogul however forgot to follow the protocols of greeting her highness. In the video of their meet, Gates shook hands with the Queen firmly with a loud "Hi!" That's not all, he also nodded his head without bowing his head for her and also forgot to mention her formal title "Her Majesty" when he addressed her. The greeting was deemed "rude" by several. Netizens called him out as this wasn't the first time he met her.

Gates had met the Queen before in 2005 as he received an honorary knighthood from her at a Buckingham Palace ceremony. Although the royal website mentions that public members are not meant to oblige to the rules, people are expected to show general courtesy to the Queen by bowing and not touching her until he initiates.  Users on the internet called out the American techie. "Bill Gates came across as rude," one royal fan commented on Youtube as per Woman and Home. Another wrote, "You don’t just say ‘hey, how’re you?’ to the Queen. He should have addressed her as Your Majesty. I know he’s not British but I wouldn’t speak to the President of the United States without addressing him as Mr President. Buck your ideas up Mr Gates." 

Another fan of the Queen expressed, "He should have bowed his head in respect, if nothing else for her time as the sovereign, her poise and grace for 70 years." When the Queen passed away in 2022, Gates tweeted on X (formerly known as Twitter), "I feel honored to have met HM Queen Elizabeth, and I am very sad to hear of her passing. My deepest condolences to the Royal Family and the British people." The Queen who ruled for 70 years died at the age of 96. 

Gates is not the only one who has been questioned for his conduct in front of the queen. Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge once kissed the Queen on her cheek when she arrived at the Chelsea Flower Show. However, this wasn't the first time she was kissed by her relatives. Earlier Prince William and Prince Harry both left a peck on their dear grandma's cheek during official outings and the late monarch was open to it as reported by the Mirror.