Prince William and Kate Middleton recently visited the Hayes Muslim Centre in London to learn about the community’s efforts to raise funds for those impacted by the recent earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.
Kate Middleton Praised For Navigating Awkward Moment After Community Leader Refuses To Shake Her Hand
Representatives from the center, who have raised more than £25,000 for the Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal through bucket collections and other donations after prayers, met with the couple.
The aid workers who recently returned from the crisis zone in Turkey shared harrowing stories with the couple about desperate scenes of rescuers using only hammers to free trapped people.
Kate is known for her exceptional ability to handle any situation with ease, but she experienced an uncommon moment of discomfort while welcoming a leader from the Muslim community. Upon their arrival at the center, the Prince and Princess interacted with several leaders, among them Iman Sufyan Iqbal, during which an uncomfortable moment ensued.
William greeted each leader individually by shaking their hands, while one of the men also extended his hand to greet the Princess. However, when Kate attempted to shake hands with Iman Sufyan, he chose to place his hand over his heart and bow his head instead.
When the man greeted the Princess, she responded by bowing her head and smiling while retracting her hand. In certain Muslim customs, it is deemed courteous for a man to place his hand on his chest and slightly bow or nod when greeting a woman.
Certain codes of conduct dictate that a man and a woman should not shake hands unless the woman initiates the gesture and the man is agreeable to it. The response on social media was full of praise. Large numbers of people lauded Kate for managing to navigate this awkward situation.
One person wrote: “Nothing phases Kate, she is a real professional and a credit to the RF.” So there you have it folks. What did you think about this? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. If you liked reading this article, then check out our other features on the Daily Soap Dish.
