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Home / New Zealand

Coronavirus: Saudi king slaps woman away as she leans in to kiss his hand

news.com.au
2 Mar, 2020 09:31 PM3 mins to read

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After snatching his hand away the king appears to chastise the woman while shaking his head. Photo / Supplied

After snatching his hand away the king appears to chastise the woman while shaking his head. Photo / Supplied

Video has emerged of Saudi Arabia's highest monarch appearing to bat a woman's face away as she attempts to lean in and kiss his hand.

In the footage, believed to have been taken over the weekend, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is conducting a meet and greet at the palace.

It starts off OK as the pair lock hands. Photo / Supplied
It starts off OK as the pair lock hands. Photo / Supplied

A string of men approach and the royal shakes their hands with no fuss but when it is the woman's turn, she makes an unexpected move.

As she takes his hand she leans forward in a bid to kiss it, causing King Abdulaziz to recoil in shock.

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The monarch's right hand appears to connect with the woman's face as he bats away her face. Photo / Supplied
The monarch's right hand appears to connect with the woman's face as he bats away her face. Photo / Supplied

He snatches his hand back and appears to use it to bat away her face to avoid the unwanted gesture, his eyes widening in alarm.

The king then appears to chastise the woman, shaking his head as he speaks to her, news.com.au reports.

After snatching his hand away the king appears to chastise the woman while shaking his head. Photo / Supplied
After snatching his hand away the king appears to chastise the woman while shaking his head. Photo / Supplied

The encounter seems to have left a bad taste in his mouth and he refuses to meet anybody else, walking away with his entourage.

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Saudi Arabia recorded its first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus today, and the virus has infected hundreds of people in several Middle Eastern countries including the UAE, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Iraq and Iran, where there are almost a thousand confirmed cases and 54 deaths.

Lol he’s smarter than the pope

— Kelly Campagna (@warriorwoman91) March 1, 2020

Lol, he's smarter than the pope," tweeted Kelly Campagna in response to the video, which has been viewed thousands of times.

She was referring to rumours Pope Francis contracted the coronavirus while supporting victims of the disease and their relatives recently.

On Sunday the 83-year-old pontiff said he would not be taking part in a planned six-day spiritual retreat south of Rome after coming down with a "cold".

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He suffered two coughing spells that forced him to turn away from the crowd and cover his mouth with his fist on a windy and cloudy day on Saint Peter's Square.

"Unfortunately, a cold forced me not to take part this year," he said after reciting the traditional Angelus Prayer and addressing the unfolding migrant crisis on Turkey's border with Greece.

The annual retreat will still start Sunday but only include members of the Roman Curia administration team of the Holy See.

Italy is battling Europe's worst outbreak of the novel coronavirus that has spread from China to every continent except for Antarctica.

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