Several members of the Royal Family stepped out for the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey on March 9. Upon arrival, Prince William kissed Princess Anne on both cheeks, but when Princess Kate went to do the same, she was rebuffed.For the occasion, Princess Kate debuted a blazer-style Catherine Walker dress, which she paired with Queen Elizabeth's Bahrain Pearl drop earrings, Gianvito Rossi suede pumps, and a statement hat by Sean Barrett.The Daily Mail's royal editor, Rebecca English, shared a video clip of the funny moment on Instagram, along with the caption, "There was no way Princess Anne was going to attempt a kiss under a hat like the Princess of Wales's."Photos confirmed the hilarious, awkward moment, with Princess Kate leaning into to kiss Princess Anne, only for the royal to lean backwards. The Princess of Wales couldn't contain her laughter after being rejected by the Princess Royal.
It's undeniable that Princess Kate's wide-brimmed Sean Barrett hat would have made kissing Anne a little tricky. However, the Princess of Wales did gently kiss Anne's husband, Sir Timothy Laurence, without hitting him in the face with her hat. Still, it appears as though the Princess Royal abstained out of a sense of caution.
Royal editor and author Russell Myers spoke to Hello! magazine ahead of Commonwealth Day, saying, "[Princess Kate] is critical to the running of the monarchy, and she really does understand the vision of the future."Myers continued, "She's aligned with William on the issue of Andrew [and the belief] that his continued association would have been very, very damaging to the monarchy."And, notably, when Princess Kate gets rejected by a family member, she takes it like a champ.
