To think the Prince Edward did not want to touch people’s hands?

[Housebytheseanc]

Yesterday during the walk about I couldn’t help but notice he didn’t seem to want to touch/shake anyone’s hand - people kept putting their hands out but he appeared to just speak to them/avoid it.
I saw him on a few occasions shake a hand but it was obvious to me he didn’t seem to want to.

was there a reason I’m not aware of? Sophie was quite happy to and reached out to everyone…

Just curious as to whether anyone else spotted this?

So she's just as rude then. No ones saying he should shake hands because "everyone else is", but if higher-up members of the RF are shaking hands then there's clearly no novichok/poisoning justification behind it.

I’ve met him. Can’t remember if we shook hands. But as someone said upthread, he’s very short and that’s what I remember, as well the fact he’s not too good at small talk.

I don’t blame him for being a big stand offish. I’d hate to have to touch all those strangers’ hands.

You did! You just listed all the other royals who you’ve seen shaking hands, so said Edward should too!
I find it bizarre that not shaking hands could be seen as rude.

No I was responding to the novichok comment. Stop twisting my words.

I don't think you should meet and greet if you are not going to shake hands.

Can't speak for Edward but I have secondary arthritis in my right hand. As it's the right hand, this usually the hand people extend their own right hand with the expectation of shaking.

Shaking someone's hand with my right is painful for me. Extending my left hand usually causes the other person to falter in surprise and pause before they too lift their left hand.

Can't speak for Edward but there can be benign reasons some people don't do hand-shaking beyond the fact that they don't want to touch the dirty proles.

I've got OCD. My first thought when I saw the footage of Prince Edward refusing to shake hands, was 'I wonder if he's got OCD too'. But who knows? I'd hate to be a member of the royal family. I wonder if it doesn't suit him either? I'm sure he's very relieved he'll never be king

It sounds as if he was polite. I don't see a problem. It's a personal choice.

When my parents died I just wanted to hide away. The public scrutiny and constant spotlight seems like complete torture to me. Fair play to the RF for fulfilling their roles during what is a difficult time. I'm sure some of the royals must find it more difficult just as human beings with different temperaments.

They probably shouldn't either

I noticed this too. He was very good at 'not noticing' the hands, though I think I did see him shake hands with an older ex service man.
It did mean he could move along the line more freely and interact with people at the back as well as at the front.
If that's the way he wants to do things, then that's fine by me.

It's as if COVID never even happened now innit

Oh fuck off with the 'he's very short'. I’m sick of this being used as an insult for men (and I’m from a tall family).

i think whether or not to touch people (and especially people you don't know) is personal choice. If he's chatting to them then that's great.
Didn't someone grab hold of King Charles this week and give him a hug he didn't ask for. There's no need for it.

Perhaps the "he's short" peopleet him when he was about 8.
At 1.83m he's about the tallest of the lot.

Most people wouldn’t like it. It’s not snobbery. Personal hygiene isn’t a priority for many people, shaking hands with them isn’t exactly a nice experience.

I would t want to shake hands with endless strangers either. Lord knows where their hands have been.

I wonder who you met 😄

Someone actually kissed him!

I don't think they have blanket rules eg Edward might shake hands at private events but not at large meet and greets where it slows you down and people might have Covid----
Princess Anne shakes hands at private events. I've shaken her hand. She wears gloves.

Maybe he's on heparin or other meds.

But 'because he doesn't want to' seems fair enough to me.

It's rude to demand physical contact with someone. If he wishes to not shake hands that needs to be respected. I'd rather a chat than touch!

One of the positive things about lockdown was that there was no obligation to touch people we didn’t want to.

All this needing to hug extended family members/colleagues/shake hands with unknown suddenly disappeared.

And then lockdown ended and I read an article on the bbc about how we should be sad that people no longer felt they were able to hug strangers. I was somewhat bemused. Or am I the only one who has never felt the urge to hug, or be hugged by a stranger?

In defence of my "short" comment - I'm very tall, and I was wearing my "confidence" shoes, and so taller than him. I'm from a family of very tall men, he seemed short.

Short, soft hands, shiny shoes ... you made him sound like Paddington in some nice new wellies.

Ewww. I don't understand at all. What is wrong with people!

Exactly, and look what happened to the Queen after shaking hands with Liz Truss.....