Kate Middleton and French President Emmanuel Macron shared a toast during the state banquet at Windsor Castle, marking a memorable moment from the grand evening.
The glittering gala dinner, held on July 8 in celebration of the first official French state visit to the U.K. in 17 years, featured Macron seated between Princess Kate and King Charles.
Read more: Mattel launches Barbie doll with diabetes
Displaying polished manners, the 47-year-old French leader helped pull out the Princess of Wales’ chair and waited for her to be seated before taking his own place beside her.
Later in the evening, cameras captured a buzzworthy moment as Macron winked at Princess Kate during a toast—footage that quickly circulated across social media. The cordial interaction between the two began earlier in the day when Macron and his wife arrived at RAF Northolt. The Prince and Princess of Wales welcomed them on the tarmac, where Macron greeted Kate with a kiss on the hand.
Read more: Israel plans to move Gaza population to single ‘humanitarian city’ – defense minister
Though some found the gesture surprising, it doesn’t breach royal protocol. According to the royal family’s official website, there are no mandatory rules when meeting royals. “There are no obligatory codes of behaviour when meeting The Queen or a member of the Royal Family, but many people wish to observe the traditional forms,” it notes, adding that a neck bow or curtsy is common, though a simple handshake is also acceptable.
At the state banquet, spouses were seated across from one another at the long table. On one side sat King Charles, President Macron, and Princess Kate, while Prince William was seated opposite them alongside Brigitte Macron, 72, and Queen Camilla, 77.
The prestigious guest list included notable figures such as Mick Jagger, Elton John and his husband David Furnish, actress Kristin Scott-Thomas, and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Here’s how social media users reacted
Emmanuel Macron piscando para Kate Middleton… Tá pedindo! pic.twitter.com/qk2vQc4Xqs
— Page Not Found (@BlogPageNFound) July 9, 2025
Macron seems to have learned nothing!
At the royal banquet, Kate Middleton winked the whole time.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
The question is how Brigitte will react. Should we expect new pictures of a stained Macron? pic.twitter.com/8Nx1xCsgwy
— Маrina Wolf (@volkova_ma57183) July 9, 2025