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Lewis Hamilton and LeBron James Once Got Intro Trouble With British Royal Family for Breaking Protocols

Somin Bhattacharjee
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Lewis Hamilton and LeBron James Once Got Intro Trouble With British Royal Family for Breaking Protocols

Lewis Hamilton and LeBron James are two of the biggest names in all of sports. Even people who don’t follow F1 or basketball, know about these two legends because of all they have achieved in their respective fields.

When it comes to Formula 1, no driver has been as successful as Hamilton. He has the most number of race wins, fastest laps, and pole positions. The only record that Hamilton is yet to break is that of Michael Schumacher’s seven-world title wins, and he is just one title win away from doing so.

Coming to basketball, James is at the top of the world right now. He has always been regarded as one of the greatest players all of time, but earlier today, he managed to become the all-time leading scorer in NBA history, surpassing the great Laker, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The 38-year-old had to score 36 points against Oklahoma City Thunder to surpass Abdul-Jabbar’s 38,387 points and he did so in just 26 minutes.

However, no matter how big of a sports star you are, when it comes to respecting Royal Family traditions, everyone comes under the same category!

Also read: Charles Leclerc Baffled as Carlos Sainz Realises He Can Use a Steering Wheel While Racing

Lewis Hamilton spoke to Queen Elizabeth when he wasn’t allowed to

Today, Hamilton’s official title is Sir Lewis Hamilton after being awarded the knighthood by the late Queen Elizabeth. However, he was also given the MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) back in 2009 after winning his first world championship, and during the ceremony, he had an awkward encounter with the Queen.

After he received his MBE, he was invited to lunch where he took a seat next to the Queen. Hamilton got excited and began talking to her, but she pointed to the Brit’s left and asked him to start talking to people on that side. This is because they had to comply with the Royal protocols where the Queen herself would begin by conversing with people on her right.

Hamilton revealed that the Queen was very polite about this. He called her sweet and revealed that they spoke about each other’s lives, what they do on weekends, and the music they listen to.

Also read: Guanyu Zhou Reveals One Thing That Helps Him Bond With Valtteri Bottas at Alfa Romeo

LeBron James put his hands around Princess Catherine

James did not have an awkward encounter with the Queen of England, but instead, found himself in a tough spot with the Prince of Wales, William, and Princess Catherine. The 19-time NBA all-star met the two during a visit but wasn’t aware of a certain protocol.

James put his arms around Princess Catherine as a friendly gesture but realized that he wasn’t allowed to do so. When the pictures came out, most people called it a breach of rules, but a spokesperson from Buckingham Palace later admitted that it wasn’t true.

They insisted that the Royal Family wants people to feel ‘as comfortable’ as possible when they meet them.

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Basketball Editor Somin Bhattacharjee first discovered the game during the 2014 FIBA World Cup. Not long after, he turned to the NBA and found himself drawn to the Golden State Warriors — right at the start of Stephen Curry’s rise. Over time, the admiration turned into full-blown support for the team, one that continues even as the Curry era approaches its twilight. A true hoophead, Somin also follows EuroLeague basketball closely and enjoys exploring the game beyond the NBA. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. Since 2021, he has penned over 3,000 articles for TheSportsRush, covering everything from breaking news to sharp opinion pieces and detailed exclusives. He thrives on writing about in-game moments and the reactions that make basketball a uniquely emotional sport. Beyond basketball, Somin plays different sports including soccer and remains a passionate fan of Spanish football giants Real Madrid

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