Kate Middleton was caught off guard while welcoming French President Emmanuel Macron to Raf Northolt alongside Prince William.
The princess of Wales maintained a calm and composed reaction as she received an unexpected aerial kiss by Macron’s hand.
While the French president helped his wife descend the stairs, whom she seemed to refuse, he then welcomed William with a warm handshake and friendly gestures.
They turned to Kate and offered a kiss of polished air on his hand instead of a handshake.
The expert in body language, Judi James, said that even if the gesture could feel overwhelmed to some, Kate manipulated him with grace and smiled calmly.
“Macron’s charm offensive would not be thwarted. After a truncated micro ritual which hinted that he could have gone to kick William, he settled for a handshake that he dotted with seizures and clasps in complementary hand to suggest familiarity and friendship,” she said.
The expert added: “When his demonstration of bravery was distilled in a helping hand in the picturesque aerial hand which he seemed to have shaped from his shaking offered.
“It is a difficult ritual to which modern women can answer because she tends to encourage laughter embarrassed in these more feminist times.
“But Kate smiles gracefully, perhaps aware that it would be Brigitte’s turn while Charles chose to lift the back of his hand to his lips to maintain visual contact when he planted his own lips.”
