Prince Edward reveals why he is ‘trying to avoid’ handshakes with well-wishers outside Buckingham Palace
LONDON, ENGLAND: The youngest son of late Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Edward finally gave an explanation for not shaking hands with people as he greets thousands of people that have traveled to pay their respects to his late mother. He reasoned that there are just loads of people there, and shaking hands with one of them would leave him feeling obliged to shake hands with everyone.
So, he’s apparently decided not to shake any hands, because of one simple fact and not because he can’t bear to touch the germ-ridden hands of the proletariat, which means that the people gathered in veneration of the British monarchy have had to make do with a smile and a wave to the 58-year-old prince.
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Following the Queen’s passing earlier on September 8, the Earl and Countess of Wessex have been in London for a few days, and the Queen’s youngest child and his wife relish a considerable amount of time outside the royal residence to greet a few of the mourners who had turned out to Buckingham Palace, as they choose individual people to chat to.
But Prince Edward wasn’t keen to shake hands when people held their hands out, instead he favored more of a wave rather than physical contact. “They’d [my hands would] fall off!”
Edward explained after reluctantly accepting one from a member of the crowd, “I’ve been trying to avoid it only because if I do it once, I have to shake everybody’s hand”. Along with his wife Sophie, Edward then walked off and continued to have conversations with other mourners who were gathered outside the royal palace in spite of not wanting to touch anyone. Further Edward mentioned that his mother would "appreciate this fantastic support" on offer to his family.
The Earl and Countess of Wessex released a statement after the death of the Queen that said, “We have been overwhelmed by the tide of emotion that has engulfed us and the sheer number of people who have gone out of their way to express their own love, admiration, and respect to such a very special and unique person who was always there for us." They further continued, “Thank you for your support, you have no idea how much it means.”