Princess Kate Turns an "Awkward" Fan Interaction Around

Princess Kate holding an umbrella talking to fans in the rain — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Prince William and Princess Kate were all smiles despite the terrible weather as they celebrated St. David's Day, the national holiday of Wales, with a visit to the country on Thursday, February 26. The Prince and Princess of Wales shared plenty of sweet moments with fans who waited in the pouring rain to meet them, and Kate managed to turn one potentially "awkward situation" into a special connection.

In a video shared by Hello!magazine, a man asked Princess Kate to give him an autograph. While it's commonplace for royals to snap selfies with fans these days, members of the Royal Family are prohibited from signing their name for fans.

"I can't sign things, I'm so sorry," Kate said in the video, adding, "I can shake your hand, though," and giving him a hug. "Nice to meet you," the princess added.

Speaking to Betfair Casino, body language expert Darren Stanton says that the interaction showed how Kate is "a real master now in connecting with people very quickly."

Princess Kate taking a selfie with a group of boys — Princess Kate snapped a photo with a group of school boys on February 26.

Princess Kate speaking to children and holding an umbrella — The Princess of Wales spoke to children and played rock, paper, scissors during the rainy day.

"Kate appreciates that many have stood in the wind and the rain to meet her and William," he added. When the man asked for her autograph, Stanton says Princess Kate turned the uncomfortable situation into a moment of real connection.

"She also immediately reached for his hand and said sorry, which appeased him," the body language expert says. "Then she followed that up with a hug. She didn’t make it an issue. It was a masterclass in overcoming a potentially awkward situation with zero fuss and drama."

“It’s clear that Kate cares about people, she felt the need to justify not signing anything, which left the situation as a win," he adds. "Her smile was genuine and authentic and his happy expression was also genuine."

Members of the Royal Family are encouraged not to sign autographs due to the risk of their signatures being forged. However, there have been some exceptions over the years, like in 2010, when King Charles (then the Prince of Wales) wrote "Charles 2010" for a fan. And in 2018, Meghan Markle broke protocol by signing a young girl's autograph book in Wales.

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Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.