How Kate Middleton subtly breaks royal protocol on tour

Prince William and Kate Middleton are not afraid to rip up the royal rule book on occasion. When they tied the knot in 2011, they never followed royal tradition on their wedding night and also surprised the world by choosing their siblings, Prince Harry and Pippa Middleton, as Best Man and Maid of Honour (two roles that are not supposed to exist in royal weddings).

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are also expected to rebel against this royal tradition when it comes to their three little ones, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, and they have a very modern approach to parenting. They often discuss life behind closed doors, including how they discipline their children, which older royal generations have decided against doing.

Kate will also change 'outdate royal rules' when William becomes King, according to experts, and has bent the rules when it comes to her outfits, too.

But it seems that the Duchess also had a subtle way of breaking the royal rules while on tour.

Not only do William and Kate travel together with their children - breaching protocol regarding heirs boarding the same flight - but the mother of three also chooses to hug members of the public when she is abroad, despite the fact that it goes against the formalities of meeting a member of the royal family.

On the Royal Family's website, it states: 'For men, [greeting] is a neck bow (from the head only) whilst women do a small curtsy.

'Other people prefer simply to shake hands in the usual way.'

Although this is something that Kate has decided not to follow, the website also states that the rule is purely advisory.

'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 says.

So now you know!