Kate Middleton ‘uses her handbag to send signals to her staff like the Queen’
KATE Middleton has a genius way of communicating with staff using her handbag - just like the Queen, it's been claimed.
The Duchess of Cambridge is said to position her clutch bag in a particular way if she doesn't want to shake a guest's hand at royal engagements in a subtle trick inspired by Her Maj.
According to Myka Meier, founder of Beaumont Etiquette, the mum-of-three often deliberately attends events with a clutch in order to politely swerve having to interact with particular people.
"When the duchess is at an event, she holds her bag in front of her in both hands when shaking hands might be awkward," the royal expert told .
Etiquette coach William Hanson also explained to the that there is a practical reason for the subtle gesture.
"By holding something like her clutch bag, it is perhaps giving her an 'excuse' to not extend her hand to everyone," he said.
“She can’t shake the hands of everyone she meets – the duchess would be there all day!”
Royal protocol also states that nobody should approach Kate for a handshake - so she will never be caught off-guard.
Enlisting her main accessory in this way is also a tried-and-tested method the Queen is said to use to avoid causing offence at official meetings.
The monarch places her trademark Launer handbag on a chair if she wishes to have a prolonged chat with a guest.
However, if she moved her bag to the floor, this would signal she wished her staff to end the conversation promptly.
The subtle signal was enlisted during a meeting last year between the Queen and the Australian High Commissioner George Brandis.
"Luckily for Mr Brandis — and perhaps for Australia’s strong relationship with the monarchy — the all important bag is placed on a chair, meaning the Queen is happy to be left talking to him," explained Foreign Correspondent Jacquelin Magnay.
If the bag was placed on a table, this would allow a five-minute window before the conversation would come to an end.
The Queen's favourite handbag brand last year released a new range in millennial colours - however the monarch prefers to stick to black.
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