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Obama’s awkward gaffe while toasting the Queen of England

U.S. president Barack Obama recently visited Queen Elizabeth on a trip to England filled with pomp and pageantry, but not everything went so smoothly.

The most glaring gaffe came during the regal state dinner when Obama was toasting the Queen.

"Ladies and gentlemen please stand with me and raise your glasses as I propose a toast," he said while grabbing a glass. "To her majesty the Queen."

The orchestra took this as a cue and started playing the U.K. national anthem, but Obama wasn't done talking. He finished his toast as the music grew louder before finally saying "to the Queen."

Obama raised his glass and looked right at the Queen, but she did not look back nor did anyone else raise their glasses. Everyone else was listening to the anthem. Obama put down his glass and looked off into the distance as they finished playing. Awkward.

This is not the first time the Obama's have had a gaffe around the Queen. In 2009, Michelle Obama broke etiquette by touching the Queen on the back.

Earlier in the trip, crowds gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Ireland to see the president on his way to a speech, but his limo didn't make it out of the driveway. As the armoured car exited the driveway the middle of the underbelly got stuck on a hump and despite the driver stepping on the gas, the car wasn't going anywhere.

Eventually a large van drove in front of the limo to shield it from public view while secret service agents worked to free the vehicle. The crowd booed.

Obama also had time to roll up his sleeves and have fun on his trip. He and U.K. prime Minister David Cameron, both lefties, joined forces to take on students in table tennis.

This isn't the first time Obama has shown his skills at recreational leisure activities. He bowled a 37 during a 2008 campaign stop. However, it appears as though he is getting better at these type of activities. Alan Cooke, a former U.K. national table-tennis champion, says in a Guardian article that Obama was a better player than Cameron.

"Obama was the slightly more controlled player, and a better technician," says Cooke.

However, the two leaders may want to work on their high fives.

(Reuters photo of leaders playing table tennis. AFP photo of leaders high fiving.)