Queen Elizabeth II Broke 'Rubbish' Royal Protocol During Michelle, Barack Obama Visit

Queen Elizabeth II sometimes bends the rules too.

Michelle Obama disclosed in her explosive memoir, "Becoming," the details of her and husband Barack Obama's first meeting with the monarch. According to Michelle, they were informed ahead of time about royal protocol and were instructed on how they should position in the vehicle. But she was surprised that when she met the Queen, the latter seemed to be less formal than she assumed.

"We were briefed on the protocol ahead of time: We’d greet the Royals formally before getting into their vehicle to make the short drive," Michelle wrote (as quoted by Express). "I’d sit in the front next to ninety-four-year-old Prince Philip, who would drive, and Barack would sit next to the Queen in the back seat."

However, upon arrival and after greeting Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II gestured Michelle to join her in the backseat. She didn't know how to react as she already knew the seating plan.

"I froze, trying to remember if anyone had prepared me for this scenario, whether it was more polite to go along with it or to insist that Barack take his proper seat by her side," Michelle continued. "The Queen immediately picked up on my hesitations and was having none of it. Did they give you some rule about this?’ she said, dismissing all the fuss with a wave of her hand."

"That’s rubbish. Sit wherever you want," the Queen told her.

Based on the photos, Michelle indeed joined the Queen in the backseat. On the other hand, Prince Philip and Barack were seated in the front seat.

In the same book, Michelle revealed a fashion faux pas moment that she shared with the Queen. The two women revealed that their feet were hurting.

"I confessed then to the Queen that my feet were hurting. She confessed that hers hurt, too," Michelle said. "We looked at each other then with identical expressions, like, 'When is all this standing around with world leaders going to finally wrap up?' And with this, she busted out with a fully charming laugh. Forget that she sometimes wore a diamond crown and that I’d flown to London on the presidential jet; we were just two tired ladies oppressed by our shoes."