What WAS that thing on floor when Prince Charles hosted Trump for tea at Clarence House?

Maria Puente
Updated

Something was slightly amiss when Prince Charles ushered President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump into his sitting room for tea at his London palace on Monday: Unsightly litter on the floor.

But hold the horrified gasps – and blame the media. A potential embarrassment was turned into a lighthearted moment by Prince Charles.

That thing the prince picked up and handed off to an aide with a broad smile was just a photographer's flash diffuser from one of the pool cameras in the room to record the meeting, according to palace officials who cited the Press Association, which was part of the media pool.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump pose with their hosts Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, before taking tea at Clarence House in on June 3, 2019, on the first day of the the Trumps' three-day State Visit to the UK.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump pose with their hosts Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, before taking tea at Clarence House in on June 3, 2019, on the first day of the the Trumps' three-day State Visit to the UK.

The diffuser had dropped on the floor of the elegant room just as the Prince of Wales, wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and the Trumps entered for their much-ballyhooed chat over tea on the first day of the Trumps' State Visit to Britain.

It looked like a mini-lamp shade; it's actually a device designed to soften the flash of light from a camera inside a room.

Sky TV posted a video on Twitter that captured the moment.

"Prince Charles makes a joke as a photographer's flash drops off their camera as @realDonaldTrump walked into a room at Clarence House," the network tweet said.

Prince Charles, 70, who has been surrounded by media cameras since he was an infant, probably knew exactly what it was, which might explain why he was grinning as he crouched to pick it up, according to the pool video of the first few minutes of the Clarence House tea.

President Trump was already smiling and did not appear to notice.

After the foursome entered the room, they gathered for an official photo in front of a fireplace and a couple of upholstered chairs.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk with their hosts Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, into their London palace, Clarence House, on June 3, 2019, on the first day of the Trumps' three-day State Visit to the UK.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk with their hosts Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, into their London palace, Clarence House, on June 3, 2019, on the first day of the Trumps' three-day State Visit to the UK.

Clarence House is Charles' and Camilla's home in London, next to St. James's Palace and not far down The Mall from Buckingham Palace.

The Prince of Wales often invites foreign visitors to Clarence House for a meeting as part of the royal routine during state visits.

But the meeting between Trump and Charles was the subject of much speculation about possible awkwardness given that Charles is a passionate environmentalist and Trump has called climate change a hoax.

But Charles is nothing if not polite and charming when it comes to greeting visitors. If their conversation was tense, it has so far not yet leaked.

The two couples will meet again Monday evening for a glittery state banquet hosted by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What WAS that thing on floor when Prince Charles hosted Trump for tea at Clarence House?