UK/ITALY: Media ribs italian President Berlusconi for being shushed by Queen Elizabeth

Record ID: 246767

  • Title: UK/ITALY: Media ribs italian President Berlusconi for being shushed by Queen Elizabeth
  • Date: 4th April 2009
  • Summary: ROME, ITALY (APRIL 3, 2009) (REUTERS) NEWSPAPER COVERAGE OF G20 MEETING WITH HEADLINE READING: "Silvio, photo with the leaders and scolding by queen." HEADLINE READING: "The prime minister calls out 'Mr Obama' but the queen comes and tells him off."
  • Embargoed: 19th April 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA310OWA194E8E6NEE4YHHI7G3R
  • Story Text: Italian newspapers are having fun with Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi after he was apparently told off for being 'too loud' by Queen Elizabeth during a photo opportunity with G20 leaders.
    Italian newspapers ribbed Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on Friday (April 3) for apparently being called "too loud" by Queen Elizabeth during a group photo with G20 leaders, after he yelled out "Mr Obama!" to the U.S. president.
    Berlusconi's office issued a statement saying he "never said what is attributed to him by news agencies regarding President Obama". But it did not refer to any comments by the British queen at the G20 "family photo" in London on Wednesday.
    Television footage shows Berlusconi at the edge of the group calling out loudly "Mr Obama! It's Berlusconi" and the queen turning and making a comment with one gloved hand raised.
    Italian media said her words were: "Why does he have to talk so loud?", but her voice was barely audible under the laughter of the other world leaders.
    Berlusconi, a 72-year-old media magnate in his third term in office with a high rating in opinion polls, has a history of diplomatic gaffes, twice recently referring to Obama's skin colour -- or "sun tan", as the Italian leader called it. The Italian public are certainly now used to his escapades.

    "It is part of his character he always has to be centre of attention particularly in these institutional meetings, he never seems to understand - it would be better for all of us if he confined this kind of behaviour to when he is on vacation in Sardinia," said Rome resident Fabrizio Pertecchi.
    Photographs of the G20 also showed Berlusconi popping up behind Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and clapping his hands on their shoulders to smile for the cameras.
    Newspapers had a field day - with headlines in most running with the 'telling off' aspect of the meeting with the queen.

    "Silvio, photo with the leaders and scolding by queen,' said one, 'The prime minister calls out 'Mr Obama,' but the queen comes and tells him off,' ran another.
    Il Giornale, owned by Berlusconi's brother, also reported the event, but put a positive spin on it, saying the Italian premier had thus helped make a stiff occasion more relaxed.

    "When you are in a certain position you should have a minimum of respect and comportment' advised Rome resident Silvio Papa after reading the morning newspapers.

    "He was being a little bit Italian, exaggerating a bit with his gestures but anyway it was a high level meeting it would have been nice to have a little bit more 'fair play' and a bit more style' suggested businessman Giovanni Conte.
    Photographs of the G20 also showed Berlusconi popping up behind Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and clapping his hands on their shoulders to smile for the cameras.
    Berlusconi will play host to most of the G20 leaders later in the year at the G8 meeting on the holiday island of Sardinia.
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