Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton met basketball player LeBron James recently, and was left in an awkward spot when the player broke royal protocol and put his arm around her.

During the New York trip by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, one of the meet-and-greets on their itinerary was with the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball player. However, during the photo-op, James broke royal protocol which prohibited anyone from touching the members of the royal family and wrapped an arm around Middleton in a well-mannered gesture.

Some are crying foul over James' actions, as according to British protocol, commoners were not allowed to touch royals no matter how innocent the gesture, unless the royal initiates contact first.

Others also took issue with James's appearance, still decked out in his sweaty post-game shirt when he approached the Duke and Duchess.

This was not the first time there has been an issue over others touching members of Britain's royal family. There was also an uproar when United States First Lady Michelle Obama made a similar faux pas back in 2009 when she put her arm around Queen Elizabeth.

The royal protocol for approaching a British monarch is explained on the Official Website of the British Monarch, which stated that while there were no obligatory codes of behavior when it came to approaching a member of the Royal Family, they hope for "traditional forms" to be observed.

This included a neck bow from the men, a small curtsy for the women, or a simple hand shake between parties as a sign of respect.

It is unknown what the royal couple thought of James' apparently friendly gesture, but it would certainly add to the list of things the player gave them, which included cupcakes and a jersey for them and their son.