Kiss Hands

The termKiss Handsused inUnited Kingdomrefer toformal installationBritish governmental office-holderstheir office.

Inpast,referred torequirement thatoffice-holder actually kisshands ofSovereign assymboltheir fealtyloyalty toSovereign, that fealtyloyalty beingrequirementserve inKing's or Queen's government. In modern times, office holdersnot requiredactually physically kisshands ofsovereign (though some, tocurrent Queen Elizabeth II's embarrassment have unexpectedly done so). Simply meeting withQueentakenvalidateappointment,this meeting being described as "kissing hands".

The invitation issued toparty leaderformgovernmentsometimes still described as "an invitationKiss Hands".