Awkward moment Emmanuel Macron air kisses the Princess of Wales’ hand after being snubbed by wife Brigitte

Emmanuel Macron had a series of blunders today as he and his wife Brigitte arrived in Britain for their three-day state visit.

The French President was left red-faced after arriving at RAF Northolt in west London this morning, where the couple were welcomed by the Prince and Princess of Wales. 

After President Macron disembarked the plane he extended a helping hand to the First Lady as she walked down the steps. 

But Mrs Macron appeared to ignore the gesture and instead kept holding the handrail as she walked down, leaving her husband to awkwardly drop his hand. 

And just seconds later, the French leader suffered another fumbling faux pas as he went to greet William and Kate, who had been patiently waiting on the runway. 

He first embraced Prince William with a long handshake before turning to the Princess and offering her an unconventional kiss on the hand. 

The gesture was made even more awkward as President Macron appeared to miss her hand entirely, instead giving her an ‘air kiss’ just above it.

Later on, the Macrons were seen in a car waiting to leave the base – and relations appeared frosty, with Mrs Macron looking at her phone after getting it out of her bag.

William and Kate greeted the Macrons at about 11.30am and travelled with them to Windsor to meet the King and Queen Camilla for a carriage procession.

The Princess was wearing a Christian Dior jacket, a hat by Jess Collett, Princess Diana ‘s old earrings and a pearl necklace from Queen Elizabeth II ‘s collection.

The Christian Dior jacket is the 30 Montaigne Rose Des Vents Bar Jacket from the 2024 collection. 

The piece was reimagined by Italian designer Maria Grazia Chiuri who was inspired by the original, which was first created in 1947 by Dior himself.

The King’s Colour Squadron formed a carpet welcome party at the airfield for the Macrons, and they were initially welcomed by Helene Duchene, the King’s Ambassador to France.

After meeting William and Kate, a series of dignitaries were presented to the French couple including Sir Kenneth Olisa, the Lord-Lieutenant of Greater London.

Others included Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley and Northolt station commander Captain Jonathan Hough along with Kathryn Colvin, Special Representative of the Foreign Secretary.

Also in the welcome party were members of the British Suite including The Viscount Brookeborough, Lord-in-Waiting; and Dame Menna Rawlings, Ambassador at Paris.

It comes after Mrs Macron sparked a storm in May when she was seen pushing her husband’s face away with both hands before they disembarked a plane in Vietnam.

The president dismissed the gesture – caught on camera – as horseplay, but it caused a huge stir in France, with daily Le Parisien newspaper asking: ‘Slap or ‘squabble’?’

Later in the afternoon, the two couples were joined by King Charles and Queen Camilla as they enjoyed a a carriage procession through Windsor. 

The King and Mr Macron waved from the 1902 State Landau to crowds gathered on the streets, followed by Camilla and Mrs Macron in the Semi-State Landau.

The third carriage, the Ascot Landau, carried William and Kate who accompanied France’s armed forces minister Sebastien Lecornu and French culture minister Rachida Dati.

The final two Ascot Landau carriages ferried officials including Helene Duchene, the French ambassador to the UK, and General Fabien Mandon, chief of the military staff.

The processional route, lined through the town by the armed forces, took in Datchet Road, Thames Street High Street, Park Street, Cambridge Gate, George IV Gateway to the Quadrangle of Windsor Castle.

When the procession swept into the castle, an array of military units were in position waiting to take part in the ceremonial welcome.

Central was the guard of honour formed by two of the British Army’s oldest regiments: Nijmegen Company Grenadier Guards and F Company Scots Guards with the state colours of the regiments.

Mr and Mrs Macron were joined by the King and Queen on a dais, with William and Kate stood nearby.

As the President and King stood waiting for their wives to join them, they shared a few words and Mr Macron warmly touched the King’s back.

The pomp and pageantry featured the Military Knights of Windsor by the castle’s sovereign’s entrance, a detachment of the Household Cavalry nearby and outside the equerries’ entrance was the King’s Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard.

After the royal salute was given by the soldiers on parade and the French national anthem was played, Major Jake Sayers, captain of the guard of honour, spoke in French to President Macron.

He told the visiting head of state: “Your excellency, the guard of honour of the Grenadier Guards and Scots Guards is present and ready for your inspection.”

The French leader was joined by the King as he walked past the guardsmen formed in two lines on the quadrangle of Windsor Castle, as the Massed Band of the Grenadier Guards and the Scots Guards played L’Entente Cordiale.