As the COVID-19 outbreak sweeps across Europe, royal families around the continent have had to revise how they greet people during official engagements.
Whether following the example of Prince Charles who has been performing a ‘namaste’ bow with clasped hands or sticking to a smile, the matter of greeting people appropriately is particularly relevant to royals who may be introduced to dozens of new people on a daily basis.
124,500 people worldwide are now suspected of having contracted the coronavirus since the start of the outbreak, with Italy experiencing 12,462, the biggest number of cases for a country outside of Asia. In total, 48 European countries have been affected to varying degrees.
As a result, Queen Letizia of Spain, 47 and King Felipe VI, 52, did not shake hands yesterday with French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte during a visit to Paris, opting for bows and air kisses instead.
Meanwhile, the King and Queen of the Netherlands have decided not to shake hands on an official tour of Indonesia, but Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden has continued regardless.
Amid the Coronavirus outbreak, royal families around Europe are taking steps to avoid contagion. Queen Letizia, 47 and King Felipe VI of Spain, 52 did not shake hands with Emmanuel Macron, 42 and his wife Brigitte, 66 during their state visit to France yesterday (pictured)
KING FELIPE AND QUEEN LETIZIA OF SPAIN
With Coronavirus having reached 2,281 cases and nearly 50 deaths in France and 2,140 cases and 28 deaths in Spain, the Spanish royals smiled warmly but kept a polite distance as they arrived at the Elysee Palace to mark the European Day of Victims of Terrorism.
Brigitte Macron, 66, greeted Queen Letizia by sending her kisses with her hand, as the two women laughed.
President Macron made light of the situation and said: ‘Apparently, we literally have to [do this],’ before bowing to his guests and also sending air kisses to Letizia.
However, perhaps out of habit, the French president could not help give Felipe VI’s arm a friendly squeeze, as did his wife to Letizia.
Official guidance in France is to avoid shaking hands amid the outbreak.
Letizia and King Felipe were greeted by their host from a polite distance, with Emmanuel MAcron bowing and his wife sending her air kisses (pictured)
KING WILLEM-ALEXANDER AND QUEEN MAXIMA OF THE NETHERLANDS
During their own state visit to Indonesia, Queen Maxima, 47, and King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands, 52, also refrained from shaking hands.
They made an exception for a few occasions thrown by local officials in their honour, including a reception thrown by President Joko Widodo in Bogor on Tuesday.
The Netherlands is the seventh country with the most cases in Europe, counting 503 so far.
Queen Maxima has been seen waving and keeping a polite distance with onlookers during walkabouts in Yogyakarta, while her husband greeted officials with the Hindu namaste greeting, with hands clasped together in prayer, accompanied by a small bow.
The royal family of The Netherlands explained that King Willem-Alexander, 52, and Queen Maxima, 48 would not shake hands during their visit to Indonesia this week (pictured: King Willem-Alexander doing a Namaste greeting)
CROWN PRINCESS VICTORIA OF SWEDEN
Meanwhile in Sweden, the royal family has taken some steps to avoid contagion, including cancelling official events.
King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia cancelled a formal dinner due to take place last Wednesday 4 March ‘out of consideration’ for the 150 meant to attend.
However, the Crown Princess Victoria, 42 was seen warmly shaking hands with locals during a visit to Overkalix on Tuesday 10 March.
According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, Sweden recorded 462 cases of Coronavirus as of today, 12 March.
The Crown Princess’s own daughter Princess Estelle, eight, is reportedly studying from home after it was confirmed one of the pupils at her Stockholm school was diagnosed with the coronavirus last week.
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, 42, shook hands with locals during a visit to Overkalix on Tuesday (pictured)
How the British royals are adjusting their greetings
Prince Charles was seen getting into a slight fluster yesterday he met members of the Prince’s Trust today.
The royal, 71, was pictured offering up his hand as he arrived at the London Palladium for the annual Prince’s Trust Awards 2020.
Charles was seen quickly remembering to give a Namaste gesture, before swiftly slipping back into old habits as he went onto greet further members of the organisation.
The first-in-line to the throne soon got into the swing of things, and was pictured giving Ant and Dec the Namaste sign as he greeted the presenters inside the venue
The Queen doled out handshakes at Buckingham Palace today, despite an aide claiming she had decided to stop shaking hands with members of the public for the foreseeable future as a matter of ‘personal preference’
Meanwhile it was business as usual for the Queen, who doled out handshakes at Buckingham Palace yesterday.
This is despite the fact an aide confirmed to the Mail she had decided to stop shaking hands with members of the public for the foreseeable future as a matter of ‘personal preference’.
At Cheltenham the Duchess of Cornwall took precautions to protect herself against the virus, wearing a pair of leather gloves to shake hands with people she met.
But the Queen’s granddaughter Zara Philips didn’t seem to have let the threat of the outbreak faze her, as she dished out hugs at the racecourse.
At the Commonwealth Day service earlier this week, Prince William could be seen on television making his own way down the same line and saying: ‘Thank you… can’t shake hands, but thank you.’
Later Prince Harry said farewell to singer Craig David, who also performed during the service, in his own indomitable way, ‘elbow bumping’ the star as the pair laughed.
The Queen’s granddaughter Zara Philips didn’t seem to have let the threat of the outbreak faze her, as she dished out hugs at Cheltenham (pictured)
At Cheltenham the Duchess of Cornwall took precautions to protect herself against the virus, wearing a pair of leather gloves to shake hands with people she met (pictured)
Elbow bump: The Duke of Sussex could not resist breaking ranks at the end of his last formal engagement as he was introduced to one of the performers, pop singer Craig David. Sticking out his right arm, he gave him an ‘elbow bump’ greeting and then cracked a joke