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Reason Princess Anne refused to kiss Princess Catherine during awkward royal greeting
The reason Princess Anne refused to kiss Princess Catherine during their awkward royal greeting has been revealed.
Members of the royal family gathered at Westminster Abbey in London on March 9 to mark Commonwealth Day, an annual event held since the 1970s to celebrate the unity and diversity of the Commonwealth of Nations.
During the arrivals, Prince William and the Princess of Wales greeted several members of the royal family, including Anne.
A video shared by Daily Mail royal editor Rebecca English captured the moment.
The Hat Mishap That Stopped The Kiss
The 43-year-old Prince greeted his aunt by placing his hands on her shoulders and delivering two polite kisses on either cheek.
But when his wife stepped forward, the greeting took a slightly different turn.
Anne appeared to blow an air kiss instead of leaning in, before Catherine gently squeezed her arm.
The pair then shared a laugh before continuing inside the abbey.
Social Media Reacts To The Moment
The lighthearted interaction quickly caught attention online, with many praising the two royals for their humor.
"Hi.lar.i.ous!! Princess C is always impeccably dressed and appears to have a great sense of humor. Unlike Melania, who wears ridiculous hats to hide her lack of interest in anything," one user wrote.
Another added: "Watch after Prince William kisses Princess Anne… Anne throws an advance pucker up to Princess Catherine - THAT is so FAB!!!!!" A third shared: "I love the genuine affection they are all showing to one another."
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Lip Reader Claims Involving The Royals
The moment comes after a Channel 5 documentary titled Lip-Reading the Royals, which examined an alleged exchange between William and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor after the funeral of Katharine, Duchess of Kent, on September 16.
Lip-reading expert Nicola Hickling claimed the former Duke of York approached William and said: "I've learnt from what I've done, but before I forget, and if I can, I'd like to ask you if you can forgive?" per Manchester Evening News.
Body language expert Adrienne Carter said the moment appeared uncomfortable for the father-of-three. "I think his body language is screaming, 'Get away from me, I don't want to be photographed, particularly engaging with you,'" she explained.
Former royal press secretary Dickie Arbitar also commented on the interaction. "William's face said everything, 'I don't want to converse with you, push off'. And I think Andrew probably got the message," he said.
After Andrew walked away, Hickling claims the Princess of Wales approached William and said: "He seems very sorry."
According to the lip reader, William responded: "'Do you think I deserved that?" before asking: "Is that what you mean?" Hickling says Kate then repeated her earlier observation.
Royal commentator Christo Foufas later pointed out that despite the disgraced royal's demeanor, he never explicitly apologized.
"He might have seemed sorry Princess Catherine but those words did not leave his mouth, he didn't actually say sorry did he," Foufas said.