Why Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz's surprising exchange with Kate Middleton at Wimbledon might’ve been unusual but not rule-breaking

There’s a simple reason why Daniel Craig and Rachel Weizs's surprising exchange with Kate Middleton at Wimbledon might’ve been unusual but not rule-breaking. 

• Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz were seen talking to Kate Middleton on the final day of Wimbledon 2023.
• The couple didn’t bow or curtsy to the Princess of Wales as some would have  expected, but they technically didn’t have to.
• This royal news comes as Prince William’s exciting solo trip was revealed after cancelling earlier plans for a heartbreaking reason. 

Wimbledon 2023 provided plenty of opportunities for fans to get a glimpse at members of the immediate and extended Royal Family as they enjoyed the dramatic highs and lows of the London championships. The Princess of Wales attended three times, including on the final day when Kate Middleton’s green silk crepe midi dress coordinated with Prince George. 

During her appearance she was seen greeting celebrities who’d received a prestigious invite to sit in the Wimbledon Royal Box. This led to Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz’s surprising exchange with Kate Middleton which has raised a few eyebrows.

The James Bond actor and Oscar-winning star didn’t stand to speak to Kate and Daniel chose to keep his sunglasses on throughout their chat. Whilst Rachel was seen only briefly shaking the Princess of Wales’ hand. However whilst this was an unusual decision, it wasn’t rule-breaking.  

When it comes to members of the public the Royal Family’s website has disclosed that people might “wish to observe” tradition when meeting the monarch or other royals, but don’t have to. Instead, they shared during the late Queen Elizabeth’s reign that there are technically “no obligatory codes of behaviour” for these occasions.

This means that technically Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz's surprising exchange with Kate Middleton at Wimbledon wasn’t against any royal rules. However, some people might consider their choice not to follow tradition to be unusual. 

The Royal Family revealed that for men the “traditional forms” of greeting are to do a “neck bow (from the head only)” and a “small curtsy” for women. They added that “other people prefer simply to shake hands in the usual way”. It seems that Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz chose to do the latter, though their decision didn’t go uncommented on. 

Daily Mail columnist Richard Eden shared a picture of the moment in question and expressed how “uneasy” it made him feel.

“This photograph makes me uneasy. While there may not have been space for Rachel Weisz to curtsy or Daniel Craig to bow, shouldn't they have at least stood up to greet the Princess of Wales?,” he speculated in the caption. “Craig could have even gone mad and removed his sunglasses 👓.”

Given how busy the Royal Box was, Richard’s point about the amount of space to carry out a traditional greeting makes sense. And although the columnist suggested he would’ve expected them to “at least stand up”, ultimately they were free to greet the Princess however they liked. 

Kate seemed to take things in her stride and Rachel’s smile was clearly visible during the exchange. Daniel Craig previously met the Princess’ late grandmother-in-law Queen Elizabeth during their collaboration on the legendary James Bond sketch at the 2012 Olympic Games.

Paying his respects after her passing, he declared in a statement, as per the Daily Mail, “I, like so many, was deeply saddened by the news today and my thoughts are with the royal family, those she loved and all those who loved her.”