Prince Charles shocked onlookers when he literally jumped in panic after almost forgetting the official coronavirus guidelines on shaking hands as he arrived for a royal engagement.
The Prince of Wales attended the annual Prince’s Trust Awards at the London Palladium. However, eagle-eyed viewers spotted the royal gaffe as he exited his car.
In the footage captured, Charles goes in for a polite handshake as he is greeted on the red carpet. At the last minute, he realises his mistake and jumps back.
Laughing it off, the Prince moves on to greet more people waiting for him.
However, he makes the same error again and is forced to retract his hand.
For the rest of the evening, Charles opted for a Namaste gesture.
The Queen’s son spoke to celebrity supporters including hosts Ant and Dec, former James Bond actor Pierce Brosnan and World Champion sprinter Dina Asher-Smith.
During the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, the Prince of Wales also used a Namaste gesture instead of a handshake.
The age-old Indian way of greeting has been praised as a hygienic and friendly alternative.
As the Coronavirus continues to wreak havoc across the world, many international government and health professionals have advised people to stop shaking hands as a preventative method.
