Joe Biden breaches royal protocol by revealing Queen asked him about Putin and Xi Jinping

PRESIDENT Joe Biden said the Queen asked him about Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin during his visit to Windsor in an apparent breach of Royal protocol.

The remarks come ahead of his showdown meeting with the Russian leader next week as he continues his European tour.

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The President had been visiting Her Majesty with wife Jill on Sunday evening after attending the G7 summit in Cornwall.

During the chat with the 95-year-old monarch over tea at Windsor Castle, Biden described how the pair spoke on a number of topics -including his relationship with Putin and Xi Jinping.

It is considered exceptionally rare for anyone - even the UK Prime Minister - to reveal the contents of their meetings with the monarch.

"She wanted to know what the two leaders that I - the one I'm about to meet with, Mr Putin, and she wanted to know about Xi Jinping," the president told reporters.

Biden had earlier signalled the importance of the meeting with Putin to G7 leaders on Sunday describing the current relationship between the two as at a historically “low point.”

“I think the best way to deal with this is for he and I to meet,” Mr Biden told reporters.

Afterwards, he said, “I will make it clear of how that meeting turned out,” as will Mr Putin.

In preparation for the diplomatic talks, the President had already told US military personnel stationed in the UK that Putin would sternly be told "what I want him to know."

He then declared that the US-UK alliance was the “strongest military and political alliance in the history of the world,” in a bid to further enhance the two nations relationship.

And in his talks with the Queen, he appeared to do just that as his warmly described the reigning monarch as a "mother figure."

He said:"I said I wish we could stay longer, maybe we could hold the cars up a minute, and stuff. Anyway, she was very gracious."

After their meeting, Mr Biden had also told reporters: "I don't think she’d be insulted but she reminded me of my mother, the look of her and just the generosity."

He confirmed he's invited the Queen to the White House.

The Bidens arrived at Heathrow in Air Force One this afternoon before stepping out of a Range Rover at the castle at around 5pm.

Despite the sweltering heat, the Queen stood as she awaited her guests, and was seen smiling at her guards.

She wore a summery pink Stewart Parvin dress, a hat by Rachel Trevor-Morgan and the diamond Jardine star brooch, believed to be one of her favourite pieces of jewellery.

Mrs Biden, in a light blue suit, held her husband's hand as they walked towards the castle.

They greeted the Queen on a dais in Windsor's quadrangle before a Guard of Honour gave a royal salute as the US national anthem was played.

'GRACIOUS' QUEEN GETS WHITE HOUSE INVITE

Mr and Mrs Biden put their hands on their hearts as the anthem rang out.

Mr Biden took off his aviator sunglasses before carrying out an inspection of the guard before watching a military march-past.

After the ceremony, he walked alongside the Queen, who was heard to say: "You completed your talks."

He replied: "Yes, we did."

Before going inside, the Queen introduced the Bidens to her lady-in-waiting Dame Annabel Whitehead.

The monarch has now received four presidents at Windsor, with the Bidens following the Trumps in 2018, the Obamas in 2016, President George W. Bush and his wife in 2008 and the Reagans in 1982.

During her 69 years on the throne, there have been 14 US presidents.

Her Majesty has met all but Lyndon Johnson.

Mr and Mrs Biden met the Queen for the first time on Friday when she attended a reception for G7 leaders at the Eden Project.

Both Mr and Mrs Biden, along with Emmanuel Macron, were left chuckling as Her Majesty cracked jokes during the event, asking them: "Are you supposed to be looking as if you're enjoying yourself?" as they posed for a photo.

Their latest meeting comes the day after the Queen received her official birthday gift from the nation's armed forces - a ceremony of pomp and pageantry in her honour - which was held at the castle.

The traditional Trooping the Colour ceremony, which is normally staged in London, was ruled out for the second successive year because of the threat of coronavirus.

Meanwhile, today's carefully-choreographed arrangements to welcome Mr Biden echo the welcome given to Donald Trump in 2018, when the controversial then-US president travelled to Windsor to meet the monarch.

Mr Trump and the Queen had afternoon tea together in the castle's Oak Room, with the meeting lasting longer than expected.

It was due to last around half-an-hour, but overran by almost 20 minutes.

In 2008, when then US president George W Bush met with the monarch at Windsor, he enjoyed a traditional English afternoon spread of tea, small sandwiches and cakes in the White Drawing Room.

The Queen will greet the Bidens at the dais in the castle's quadrangle.

A Guard of Honour formed of The Queen's Company First Battalion Grenadier Guards will give a Royal Salute, and the US national anthem will be played.

Mr Biden will then accompany the Officer Commanding the Guard of Honour, Major James Taylor, and Major General Christopher Ghika to inspect the Honour Guard, before returning to the dais to watch the military march-past with the Queen and First Lady.

In 2018, the Queen accompanied Mr Trump to inspect the Guard of Honour at Windsor.

Escorting a visiting head of state to inspect the troops is a role which usually fell to the late Duke of Edinburgh, before he retired in 2017.

There have been 14 US presidents during the Queen's 69-year reign - from Harry S Truman to Mr Biden.

Mr Biden, who is in the UK for the G7 summit, will be the 13th American leader to meet the monarch, with Lyndon B Johnson the only one the Queen has not met.