The Queen Mother once made a very telling comment about Jimmy Carter's behaviour towards her at a Buckingham Palace dinner. The 39th president of the United States died on Sunday at the age of 100. He lived longer than any other president in US history. President Carter was in the White House between 1977 and 1981, during which time the US battled high inflation, soaring oil prices and the Iran hostage crisis.
A one-term Democrat president who eventually lost to Republican rival Ronald Reagan in 1980, after leaving office he became celebrated across the American political divide for his human rights and charity work, which included building homes for the disadvantaged. But within the Royal Family, he is more likely to be remembered for one alleged faux paus involving the Queen Mother.
During his May 1977 stay at Buckingham Palace ahead of a NATO visit, following an invite from Queen Elizabeth II, President Carter is said to have greeted the Queen Mother, Elizabeth Bowes Lyon, with a smooch on the lips. It is customary that a royal is greeted with a bow, curtsy, or handshake.
The Queen Mother, who passed away in March of 2002 at the age of 101, was said to have been taken aback by his approach, and reportedly told her biographer: "He is the only man, since my dear husband died, to have had the effrontery to kiss me on the lips." The Mirror reported at the time that the Queen Mother had described taking "a sharp step backwards. … not quite far enough" as the US president leant towards her.
