Did Pres. Macron ‘break protocol’ when he kissed Princess Kate’s hand in greeting?

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There’s a minor scandal brewing over in Royal Protocol Isle. The Prince and Princess of Wales were sent to the airport to greet Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron on the tarmac. It was a formal greeting, all done according to generally established state-visit guidelines. When President Macron greeted Kate, he bowed and kissed her hand. Scandale!

Kate Middleton and Prince William had the diplomatic honor of welcoming French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, to the U.K. at the start of his state visit. But when Macron greeted the Princess of Wales with a kiss on the hand — a rare gesture for Kate — did he break royal protocol?

The answer is no. While the gesture was undeniably charming and distinctly French, it did not breach any formal rules. The royal family’s official website explains that there are no strict codes of conduct for meeting royals, only suggested traditional courtesies.

“For men this is a neck bow (from the head only) whilst women do a small curtsy. Other people prefer simply to shake hands in the usual way,” the website states.

Macron’s hand kiss was a warm, personal touch that echoes gestures made by King Charles himself. In fact, the monarch was seen greeting the first lady with the same gesture.

It’s somewhat uncommon for Kate to receive a kiss on the hand, especially in public settings. While hand-kissing is a traditional gesture of respect and admiration, it is rarely observed in modern royal engagements. The practice has largely been replaced by handshakes or cheek kisses in many European courts.

[From People]

You know who’s always been big on kissing a woman’s hand? King Charles. He does it frequently when greeting royal women (especially queens) and heads of state or their spouses. I think he greeted Brigitte Macron with a hand-kiss as well today. Anyway, I think Pres. Macron was simply showing respect with a little bit of European flair, and no, it does not matter protocol-wise. Technically, the Macrons don’t have to bow or scrape or curtsy or anything – they’re French. They’re just showing good manners. Frankly, I don’t think William and Kate have good manners whatsoever, so I get why people are asking.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images, Getty.