The Hilarious Reason Princess Anne Refused to Kiss Princess Kate at the Commonwealth Day Service

Photos confirmed the slightly awkward moment.

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Kate Middleton wears a big blue hat and speaks with Princess Anne during the 2026 Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey on March 9, 2026 in London, England
(Image credit: Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Several members of the Royal Family stepped out for the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey on March 9. Upon arrival, Prince William kissed Princess Anne on both cheeks, but when Princess Kate went to do the same, she was rebuffed.

For the occasion, Princess Kate debuted a blazer-style Catherine Walker dress, which she paired with Queen Elizabeth's Bahrain Pearl drop earrings, Gianvito Rossi suede pumps, and a statement hat by Sean Barrett.

The Daily Mail's royal editor, Rebecca English, shared a video clip of the funny moment on Instagram, along with the caption, "There was no way Princess Anne was going to attempt a kiss under a hat like the Princess of Wales's."

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Photos confirmed the hilarious, awkward moment, with Princess Kate leaning into to kiss Princess Anne, only for the royal to lean backwards. The Princess of Wales couldn't contain her laughter after being rejected by the Princess Royal.

Kate Middleton wears a big blue hat and speaks with Princess Anne during the 2026 Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey on March 9, 2026 in London, England

Princess Kate leans in to kiss Princess Anne upon arrival at the Commonwealth Day service.

(Image credit: Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

It's undeniable that Princess Kate's wide-brimmed Sean Barrett hat would have made kissing Anne a little tricky. However, the Princess of Wales did gently kiss Anne's husband, Sir Timothy Laurence, without hitting him in the face with her hat. Still, it appears as though the Princess Royal abstained out of a sense of caution.

Kate Middleton wears a big blue hat and speaks with Princess Anne during the 2026 Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey on March 9, 2026 in London, England

Princess Kate laughs after Princess Anne refuses to attempt a kiss due to the royal's large hat.

(Image credit: Aaron Chown - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Royal editor and author Russell Myers spoke to Hello! magazine ahead of Commonwealth Day, saying, "[Princess Kate] is critical to the running of the monarchy, and she really does understand the vision of the future."

Myers continued, "She's aligned with William on the issue of Andrew [and the belief] that his continued association would have been very, very damaging to the monarchy."

And, notably, when Princess Kate gets rejected by a family member, she takes it like a champ.

Amy Mackelden
Amy Mackelden
Weekend Editor

Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.