Swords out as the G7 nations bicker on the Cornish coast

Not even the deft hand of royalty can help Boris Johnson achieve unity at summit

An activist wears a giant head depicting Prime Minister Boris Johnson as he marches through the streets during a demonstration in Falmouth, Cornwall. AP

Turning to a unifying figure as it hosted a landmark international summit, the UK government asked Queen Elizabeth II to help with the G7.

The 91-year-old head of state put some real steel into the images from Cornwall.

Taking a sword from the Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall at a charity gathering, the queen plunged the blade through the icing of a cake made to mark the occasion.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson may be wishing for such panache as he seeks to establish Global Britain as leader of the wealthy nations of the G7 in global affairs.

Instead, he found himself in parry and thrust with the Europeans at the meeting as the issue of Brexit and Northern Ireland bogged down his efforts.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel put Mr Johnson on the spot at the traditional G7 family photo call when she nudged him to set the pace for the group.

"You are the leader," she told the dithering Mr Johnson.

He was soon griping that his efforts weren't panning out as he had hoped.

"I've talked to some of our friends here today, who do seem to misunderstand that the UK is a single country, a single territory," he complained as he explained the bad blood over the Northern Ireland Protocol of the Brexit deal.

"I just need to get that into their heads."

The G7 is not supposed to be about all this. It is designed to shine a light on the big issues facing the world and how the richest nations are tackling them.

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  From left to right, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, France's President Emmanuel Macron, Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, Queen Elizabeth II, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi, European Council President Charles Michel and US President Joe Biden pose for a group photograph during a reception on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Cornwall. Reuters

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  Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson, US President Joe Biden, his wife Jill Biden and European Council President Charles Michel along with Britain's Queen Elizabeth attend a reception at the Eden Project in Cornwall. Reuters

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  Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson with his wife Carrie Johnson, right, along with Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles with Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, and Prince William with Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge attend a reception in Cornwall. Reuters

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  President of the European Council Charles Michel, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, US President Joe Biden, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, chat at a drinks reception at The Eden Project. Getty Images

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  Queen Elizabeth II smiles as she meets people from communities across Cornwall during an event celebrating The Big Lunch initiative at the Eden Project during the G7 Summit. Getty Images

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  Queen Elizabeth II attends an event in celebration of The Big Lunch initiative at the Eden Project during the G7 Summit. Getty Images

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  German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her husband Joachim Sauer attend a drinks reception for Queen Elizabeth II and G7 leaders at the Eden Project during the G7 summit. Getty Images

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  Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, arrive for a drinks reception for G7 leaders at the Eden Project during the G7 summit. Getty Images

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  Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and wife Mariko Suga attend a reception for the G7 leaders at the Eden Project. AP

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  Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and wife Carrie Johnson arrive for a drinks reception during the G7 Summit. Getty Images

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  Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau attends a reception for the G7 leaders at the Eden Project in Cornwall. AP

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  German Chancellor Angela Merkel and husband Joachim Saue attend a reception for the G7 leaders at the Eden Project in Cornwall. AP

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  French President Emmanuel Macron, Queen Elizabeth II, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and US President Joe Biden arrive at a drinks reception during the G7 Summit. Getty Images

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  Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson his wife Carrie Johnson share a joke with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her husband Joachim Sauer during a reception for the G7 leaders at the Eden Project in Cornwall. AP

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  US President Joe Biden and German Chancellor Angela Merkel arrive at a drinks reception for Queen Elizabeth II and G7 leaders at the Eden Project during the G7 summit. Getty Images

US President Joe Biden hoped to draw a line under the Donald Trump era with a display of unity.

It is not only Brexit where there is discord. Achieving a consensus behind the strong US position on China has not been taken for granted.

Hugs for Mr Biden from French President Emmanuel Macron may not make up for foot dragging on the summit agenda.

The coastal towns of Cornwall have welcomed the global attention of a summit that is a rare example of face-to-face contact between leaders.

That is both because of the temporary fillip to the local economy and exposure in front of the world cameras.

On the streets of the towns hosting the summit, there is appreciation of the climate protesters. The related but distinct cry to save the oceans is something that registers in these coastal communities.

A flotilla of kayaks and surfboards in Falmouth Harbour to make the point that the sea is worth protecting was well supported from the shore.

When hundreds of sympathisers of the Tigrayan cause walk down the streets, there is respectful engagement.

The charity Oxfam commandeered a beach for its messages on vaccine access with papier mache-clad models posing for photographs from deck chairs.

Cornwall's beaches have set the mood for the summit.

Another image of Mr Johnson provided a manifestation of his labours.

In the dawn gloom, knowing that television cameras were perched on a nearby ridge, Mr Johnson went for a run on Saturday.

Unfortunately for him, the going was heavy and the cameras picked up his slow, heaving progress.

Within an hour he was headed to his meetings with the Europeans. Elbow bumps as greetings were more jarring than binding and mood in the conference suites was heavy, too.