England hasn’t put on a coronation in about 70 years so this one was highly anticipated by those of us who like to watch such historical ceremonies. It was quite a show, though somewhat scaled-back for such a major event.

For example, the guest list for this coronation was cut to 2,300 while that of Queen Elizabeth II was 8,000. The United States was represented by First Lady Jill Biden and granddaughter Finnegan Biden, daughter of Hunter. She caused a stir because she is the first first lady to attend a coronation in the United States. The tradition has been for the president and the first lady to skip the coronation due to historical and practical reasons. Biden broke precedent by sending his wife as a guest, not an official delegation.

For decades, that was mainly a question of practicality. Revolution-era enmity against Britain had faded by 1821, when George IV succeeded his father George III. But a long ocean journey was impossible for a commander-in-chief at the time. Not until 1918 did Woodrow Wilson become the first president to venture across the Atlantic during his term.

With the advent of steamships in the early 20th century, “It quickly became a precedent to send an official delegation to coronations,” Chernock explained.

Since George V became king in 1911, US presidents have dispatched carefully chosen delegations of representatives charged with pushing the administration’s agenda during the festivities.

His selection of his wife and her choice to bring along a granddaughter looks like it was a decision made without much thought. That is how most of Biden’s decisions seem to be – he flies by the seat of his pants and doesn’t care enough to make well-thought-out decisions. Jill’s been racking up the jet miles and Hunter’s kids enjoy a trip with Nana Jill. Remember when Maisy and Finnegan were with Jill in Spain last summer?

Finnegan and Jill met with the Princess of Wales and the Ukrainian first lady yesterday during a reception.

Lovely to see @FLOTUS and @ZelenskaUA this evening 🇺🇸🇺🇦 #Coronation pic.twitter.com/a9F0g9Eoje

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) May 5, 2023

Sadly, as you see, Jill wore a dress made from sofa upholstery again. Remember when we had a first lady who never embarrassed us with her wardrobe? For the coronation, Jill wore a blue suit. Finnegan wore a longish yellow dress with a kind of cape-thingy over her shoulders. Town and Country magazine swooned over Jill’s outfit, including the silly large blue bow she wore in her hair as a fascinator. Jill wore blue gloves to match her suit. The look was reminiscent of Melania’s inaugural suit. Jill’s suit was Ralph Lauren, though.

On Friday, Jill met with UK First Lady Akshata Murty at 10 Downing Street. She also visited a school in London.

Thank you for your kindness and warm welcome to the United Kingdom, Akshata. I look forward to building on our friendship for years to come. pic.twitter.com/AlRyRsIZNO

— Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) May 5, 2023

Joe Biden sent a tweet to offer congratulations.

Congratulations to King Charles III and Queen Camilla on their Coronation. The enduring friendship between the U.S. and the U.K. is a source of strength for both our peoples.

I am proud the First Lady is representing the United States for this historic occasion.

— President Biden (@POTUS) May 6, 2023

At least he couldn’t do much damage that way. And, thankfully, Jill wasn’t 30 minutes late for the coronation as she and Joe were to the Queen’s funeral. She was seated next to Ukraine’s first lady, Olena Zelenska.

There were some anti-monarchy protesters.

A number of anti-monarchy protesters from the group Republic were arrested at a demonstration in London that took place on the day of King Charles III's coronation. Graham Smith, the group's leader, was among those arrested. https://t.co/zrKWve0liI pic.twitter.com/fFxgOORvbc

— The New York Times (@nytimes) May 6, 2023

Some arrests were made, including the leader of the group.

Police arrested the leader of the anti-monarchy group Republic hours before King Charles' coronation, and a number of other protesters who had gathered among the crowds lining the procession route in central London https://t.co/cLTAhkXcPl pic.twitter.com/DlwzTLOhBB

— Reuters (@Reuters) May 6, 2023

There were scuffles.

Scuffles as police confiscate anti-monarchy banner from protesters on Coronation morning in London. It is not clear why the banner was taken. Footage available from @Newsflare #Coronation #Coronation2023 @RepublicStaff pic.twitter.com/CG7QQTsVwb

— Urban Pictures (@Urban_Pictures) May 6, 2023

The usual anti-fossil fuels loons were there.

Just Stop Oil protesters arrested near King Charles III's coronation. https://t.co/PJGjFFngzr pic.twitter.com/HKAbimDttY

— NBC News (@NBCNews) May 6, 2023

They should be happy for King Charles’s rise to the throne. He’s one of them. He’s been an environmental whacko for decades.

There are more coronation weekend events to come. Was it a snub to just send Jill Biden and not a traditional delegation? Maybe not but it shows that Biden doesn’t make Great Britain a top priority.

“This is not a snub,” said Arianne Chernock, a Boston University history professor who studies America’s relationship with the British monarchy. “But Joe Biden hasn’t made it a high priority, as past presidents have done.”

“Is she simply there to pay her respects and engage in a bit of tourism?” Chernock asked. “We’ll have to see.”

So much for norms, eh?