As Russian leader Vladimir
Putin becomes an international pariah for ordering troops into neighbouring
Ukraine, worth recalling a previous visit to the UK when he made a less than a favorable impression on The Queen.
The 95-year-old monarch has
met Putin on a number of occasions – with perhaps their most eventful
meeting coming during his state visit to the UK in 2003.
Putin is notorious for
his Queen and he made Palace officials nervous by keeping The Queen
waiting for 14 minutes – not one thing.
The Mirror reports
how later in the trip, a dog’s reaction to Putin allegedly prompted
The Secretary of the day David Blunkett to break royal protocol and
take a brutal swipe at the Russian President.
According to
Home Secretary of the day David Blunkett, his guide dog reacted
defensively towards Putin.
Mr. Blunkett told the BBC:
“The only time I met Vladimir Putin was back in 2003 on an official visit
and my then dog barked very loudly.
“I did apologize to the
Queen who was obviously hosting. I don’t think I am giving anything away when I
said, ‘Sorry your Majesty about the dog barking.’
“She said, ‘Dogs have interesting
instincts, don’t they?'”
The alleged remark would be a
break from royal protocol as The Queen must usually remain “strictly
neutral with respect to political matters”.
In June 2014, The Queen
was seated away from Putin during a D-Day commemoration event in France.
The pair gathered with world
leaders at Chateau de Benouville in Normandy, which was awkwardly just months
after Prince Charles was alleged to have compared Putin’s rule to the Nazi
regime.
The tension was seemingly laid
bare when everyone posed for a group photo.
The Queen has helped down a
set of steps by then US President Barack Obama and New Zealand’s
Governor-General Jerry Mateparae.
But observers pointed out that
Putin, who was standing close to them but not looking in their direction, did not
bother to help the elderly monarch.
