Kate Middleton deserves a crown for her diplomacy.
The Princess of Wales seamlessly denied a fan’s request for an autograph to avoid breaking royal protocol during a Feb. 26 trip to Powys, Wales, with her husband Prince William.
In a video published by Hello! Feb. 27, Kate greeted a group of people outside to celebrate community spirit ahead of St. David’s Day. But when one fan approached her with a pen and asked for an autograph, she politely redirected his request.
“I can’t sign things, I’m so sorry,” she told him in the clip, adding, “I can shake your hand, though.”
The man happily accepted her offer, and in a sweet turn of events, their handshake turned into a brief hug before Kate continued on to greet the others waiting in line.
And the 44-year-old was being entirely truthful about her inability to sign an autograph. Indeed, members of the royal family are forbidden from publicly giving out their signatures due to forgery risks.
