Macron leaned in for a kiss with Princess Kate, while Prince William simply shook his wife’s hand(Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)The Princess of Wales received an unusual greeting from French President Emmanuel Macron, who bestowed an air kiss upon her hand, leaving onlookers intrigued. As Macron and his wife Brigitte arrived at RAF Northolt for a state visit, they were met by Kate and Prince William.
Notably, Brigitte declined her husband’s offer of assistance as she disembarked from the plane. Macron then warmly shook hands with William, engaging in conversation while holding onto his arm. The French leader followed this by taking Kate’s hand and delivering a charming air kiss.
This display of affection comes on the heels of a recent incident in Vietnam, where Brigitte appeared to slap Macron during a heated argument while on an official tour.
Despite Brigitte seemingly rebuffing her husband’s attempt to assist her, body language expert Judi James notes that Macron’s charm remained unwavering.
James shared her insights with the Mirror, stating, “Anyone expecting a repeat of the infamous ‘Shove de visage’ gesture from Brigitte to her husband as they stood at the entrance to their plane here would have been thwarted as this time Macron bounced out alone and Brigitte appeared a few seconds later to descend by herself.”
James continued, “Would there be a display of performed coupledom from the pair then, who did seem to want to erase the push from our consciousness via some tender-looking arm-holding and affectionate glances during their actual visit to Vietnam?”
Body language expert Judi James dissected the greeting between French President Emmanuel Macron and the British Royal family, noting that Macron’s attempt at a romantic gesture was rebuffed by his wife Brigitte.
“The suggestion here was a big fat ‘Non’. Despite holding his hand out to his wife like a showman presenting the lead star on stage, Brigitte appeared to ignore the offer, even turning quickly to greet her hosts rather than taking his hand in an affectionate clasp once both her feet were on the tarmac.
“But Macron’s charm offensive would not be thwarted. After a micro truncated ritual that hinted he might just have been going for a cheek kiss to William, he settled for a handshake that he peppered with add-on hand grasps and clasps to suggest familiarity and friendship.”
Prince William greets Macron(Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)Judi also observed how Kate Middleton reacted to Macron’s old-fashioned greeting. “When his display of gallantry became distilled into a quaintly antique air hand-kiss that he seemed to have fashioned out of her offered shake. This is a difficult ritual for the modern woman to respond to as it tends to prompt an embarrassed giggling in these more feminist times.”
Despite the potentially awkward situation, Kate handled it with poise. “But Kate smiled gracefully, perhaps aware that it would be Brigitte’s turn next as Charles opted to lift the back of her hand right up to his lips to maintain eye contact as he planted his own lips.”
The Royal engagement comes after Kate opened up about her ‘rollercoaster’ cancer recovery and its life-changing impact, revealing that she has had to put on a “brave face” in recent times. She opted for a diplomatic approach to Royal fashion, donning an ensemble from French designer Christian Dior for the festive event.
Her earrings were a cherished possession of Diana, Princess of Wales, and her pearl necklace was a piece from the late Queen’s collection.
The jacket, a Christian Dior creation, is known as the 30 Montaigne Rose Des Vents Bar Jacket and is part of the 2024 collection. The design was reimagined by Maria Grazia Chiuri, drawing inspiration from the original version crafted in 1947 by Dior himself.