The days when King Henry VIII met King Francis I in a field full of cloth of gold are gone but VIPs still have big egos, with the EU's protocol chief telling EUobserver about the intricate hierarchy of the family photo, the "paranoia" of US delegations and which EU leader has the firmest handshake.
"Protocol is about respecting the dignity of the visitor and making sure everything goes smoothly, that there is no unplanned interference," 64-year old Austrian Hans Brunmayr, who has been ...
Back our independent journalism by becoming a supporting member
Already a member? Login hereAndrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online.
Andrew Rettman is EUobserver's foreign editor, writing about foreign and security issues since 2005. He is Polish, but grew up in the UK, and lives in Brussels. He has also written for The Guardian, The Times of London, and Intelligence Online.