Kate Middleton caught off guard by French President's air kiss gesture

Kate Middleton was caught off guard while welcoming French President Emmanuel Macron at RAF Northolt alongside Prince William.

The Princess of Wales kept a calm and composed reaction as she received an unexpected air kiss on the hand from Macron.

As the French President helped his wife down the stairs, which she appeared to decline, he then greeted William with a warm handshake and friendly gestures.

Them, he turned to Kate and offered a polite air kiss over her hand instead of a handshake.

Body language expert Judi James said that while the gesture might feel outdated to some, Kate handled it with grace and smiled calmly.

"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,” she said.

The expert added, "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.

"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."