Kate Middleton suffers awkward mishap with King Charles during key state visit

Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales made her return to public facing duties on Tuesday by welcoming the Emir of Qatar and his wife alongside King Charles and Prince William.

Kate looked elegant and gorgeous in a maroon coat by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. She added a pearl necklace and earrings to complete the look.

Kate and William joined the King and Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the first of his three wives, Sheikha Jawaher at the platform at Horse Guards Parade in London.

When the princess walked up with William, the group was facing away from her. Kate then waited to get some space to face the King and curtsied, however, the King, the Emir and his wife had begun turning away to walk off the platform and didn’t acknowledge her perfect curtsy.

Royal fans noticed the awkward moment in a video shared on Instagram, with one writing, “They didn't even look at her.”

Another exclaimed: “She curtseyed to whom?”

A third wrote: “Is it just me or did she curtesy (sic) to people who were already walking away?”

“Charles didn't even acknowledge her. The curtsey (sic) is done in front of someone, not as they're waking away,” wrote a fourth.

“Royal protocol It just happened that KC was just turning away,” suggested a fifth.

Kate Middleton is slowly returning to public duties after a year of cancer battle. She will next be seen at the Christmas Carol Concert she hosts every year.