There was a frosty stand-off outside Downing Street this morning.
Two pairs of eyes locked together with a steely gaze. A pair of rivals, carefully calculating their next move with neither side willing to give ground nor show deference to the other’s territory.
I am, of course, referring to the tense confrontation between Larry the Cat and his Foreign Office counterpart Palmerston. Who did you think I was talking about?
But still, it was nice to see Theresa May ending her term in Number 10 with the same excruciating awkwardness that has characterised her nearly 3 years in office.
Donald Trump and wife Melania heaved up Downing Street in his bulletproof Beast as the Prime Minister and husband Philip waited outside the big black door.
Donald shook Phil’s hand. Theresa shook Mel’s hand.
Then the world’s favourite transatlantic morning show presenting duo Phil and Mel shook hands, crossing the gap between the President and Prime Minister.
So they didn’t shake hands.
As her last major act of statesmanship was beamed to tablets and televisions across the globe, the world’s media saw Theresa May apparently incapable of performing a handshake.
Of course, Number 10 insisted it was not a slight or a snub. Not even a moment of awkwardness.
No, it was apparently a matter of etiquette. You see, and I quote: “One only shakes another’s hand once in a day”.
And the Prime Minister and the President had met earlier in the day, you see?
So the pair were forced by convention to stand opposite each other, with shutters buzzing around them, failing to perform the action the cameras were waiting for.
And in which case, Theresa May is much more of a stickler for protocol than that well known societal slob, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and the future King of England.
Charles met with Trump twice yesterday and shook his hand firmly on both no doubt auspicious occasions.
On his way, Trump had been forced to drive past a noisy protest on Parliament square, which, among other things, involved a giant inflatable Donald Trump baby.
Now, I'm not a professional lipreader, but I'm pretty sure I saw the President say the words "crowd" and "thousands" as he posed for photos on the doorstep.
Then, in a sure sign that nothing ever changes, Theresa May invited President Trump inside to see her 200-year-old copy of the Declaration of Independence - effectively a letter from America telling Britain where they could stick their trade policy.
And even Mel and Phil’s garden party, planned to give the other-halves something to do while their spouses chewed over Huawei and trade, looked certain to be rained off - despite a Foreign Office aide arriving at the last minute with a box of bananas and a multi-pack of Quavers.
Larry, still on guard following the showdown with his diplomatic counterpart, hid from the drizzle for a while under the idling Beast parked outside.
He went inside the big house for a couple of minutes while Trump was there, but quickly retreated into the rain.
And to be honest, who can blame him for wanting to stay out of grabbing distance.
