Princess Anne passes on Princess Kate’s cheek kiss at Palace event

At Westminster Abbey on Commonwealth Day, the British royals gathered as they always do — elegant and ready for ceremonial perfection. But one small deviation caught the cameras and quickly the internet, Kate Middleton and Princess Anne, long accustomed to their customary cheek-kisses, opted to forgo the usual greeting.

Prince William, never one to miss a beat, greeted his aunt with the standard two-cheek exchange, setting the tone for the family arrivals. Kate, 44, and Anne, 75, approached each other with a shared grin instead of the customary peck, and the reason was hilariously practical, Kate’s oversized hat.

Royal correspondent Rebecca English shared a clip of the moment on Instagram, noting, “There was no way Princess Anne was going to attempt a kiss under a hat like the Princess of Wales.” Indeed, the towering headpiece made the usual intimacy awkward, if not impossible. Still, the exchange was warm, playful even.

Kate continued to expertly navigate her headwear with other family members, greeting King Charles with a kiss and a respectful curtsy, and Queen Camilla in similar fashion. Anne, who has long maintained a reputation for both formal decorum and sly humor, was content with a nod and a grin, a pattern familiar to those who follow her public appearances.

Even in her seventy-fifth year, the Princess Royal shows a deft ability to blend tradition with personal style. From politely dodging embraces at sporting events to firmly asserting her boundaries in the wake of Queen Elizabeth’s passing, Anne has made clear that formality need not be stuffy. As biographer Robert Hardman recounted, a senior staffer’s post-funeral attempt at a hug earned her a wry smile and the sharp declaration, “That is the last time that’s going to happen.”