World leaders caught whingeing about Donald Trump at Nato function at Buckingham Palace

When world leaders gather for international summits, every moment in public is carefully choreographed and controlled by an army of minders.

That's what makes this brief but significant clip of some candid, idle gossip so delicious.

Earlier yesterday, some of the most powerful people on the planet gathered at Buckingham Palace for an event hosted by Queen Elizabeth, as part of the Nato Summit taking place in London, news.com.au reports.

Leaders of the NATO alliance countries, and its secretary general, join Britain's Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles, for a group picture during a reception at Buckingham Palace. Photo / AP

Vision doing the rounds online shows French President Emmanuel Macron arriving, wandering up to a group of his political chums.

"Is that why you were late?" British Prime Minister Boris Johnson can be heard asking him.

To understand what he's referring to, we need to rewind a few hours to where Macron was before the soiree at the summit.

The US ambassador's residence in London.

Macron met with President Donald Trump and the pair spoke to the press after trading barbs earlier in the day over the role of Nato.

President Donald Trump meets President Emmanuel Macron at Winfield House during the NATO summit. Photo / AP

The lengthy appearance included the declaration from Trump that the organisation should expand its focus away from Russia and onto Islamic terrorism and the growth of China.

"The President and I feel that we need more flexibility so we can use it for other things, not just one specific country," Trump said.

"A lot of people say it was originally meant to look at the Soviet Union, now Russia, but we also have other things to look at, whether it is radical Islamic terrorism, whether it is the tremendous growth of China."

Back to the exchange between Macron and fellow VIPs at the palace party – Johnson as well as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Britain's Princess Anne.

World leaders' conversation was captured on camera. Photo / Supplied

"Is that why you were late?" Johnson asked.

Trudeau interjected: "He was late because he (Trump) takes a 40-minute press conference off the top … oh yeah, yeah, yeah, he announced …"

.@JustinTrudeau, @EmmanuelMacron, @BorisJohnson and other VIPs shared a few words at a Buckingham Palace reception Tuesday. No one mentions @realDonaldTrump by name, but they seem to be discussing his lengthy impromptu press conferences from earlier in the day. (Video: Host Pool) pic.twitter.com/dVgj48rpOP

— Power & Politics (@PnPCBC) December 3, 2019

The rest of the exchange can't be heard, nor can what Macron says as he begins to speak, gesturing with his hands.

But the rest of the vision is crystal clear, in which Trudeau remarks: "You just watched his team's jaws drop to the floor."

World leaders' conversation was captured on camera. Photo / Supplied

While Trump wasn't mentioned by name, it wouldn't be the biggest stretch to conclude that he's who the group was talking about.

To be fair, we've all been there – long and drawn-out work function where make small talk with colleagues about the annoying people.

It seems that sort of thing happens to even the most powerful people in the world.