I don't want to be disrespectful, but I often notice British men, including my husband's cousins, walk with their hands behind their backs. I don't notice this with men from other countries. After watching a documentary on Prince Charles tonight, I was reminded of this.

They also do it in France, Italy and Spain.

I'm puzzled why you think this observation might be "disrespectful"

It's a pretty rare characteristic these days: apart from anything else, most men's hands are more likely to be doing things with mobile phones, cans of lager or bags of M&S sandwiches.

But, if it IS more common in Britain than elsewhere (and that's a pretty HUGE "if&quot it's surely about as anodyne a quirk as you can imagine.

Pointing out men's hands are usually stuffing junk food into their mouths, playing with their private parts, or groping passing women (all characteristics in certain other countries) might count as disrespectful.

But clasped?

It's to stop us fiddling with "our bits", groping passing women, stuffing junk food into out mouths or playing with our mobile phones

Question is - what do other nationalities do with their hands?

That's interesting. I've never noticed this but will certainly be more observant in the future. Doesn't walking with hands behind the back put you off balance?

I wouldn't say it's exactly common. Prince Charles is famous for it and we all reckon it's because otherwise he develops a couple of nervous 'ticks' with his hands - ev er seen him attacking his cuff-links?

It's more something you do when you are relaxed strolling - I do it myself sometimes and I'm a British woman.

Is this something considered rude/odd wherever you are from desertduds?

>Question is - what do other nationalities do with their hands?

Talking. At least in Italy.

My British man doesn't walk with his hands behind his back. Nor do my 4 British brothers, three British sons, or one British brother-in-law. Not to mention all the British male cousins and friends. Never seen any of them walk like that.

Men all over the world walk with their hands behind their back but it is usually with handcuffs. European men are sending signals to one another. One finger means that is the probably the most aburd judgment of another's culture, they ahve heard of.

british royalty walks like that to distance itself from the public-makesthe body look compact, formal and with a touch of aristocratic aloofness but allows the "lean in and look interested/ compassionate/ dismayed" look, if called for.

lots of other cultures have the men walk with their hands behind their backs but there are other reasons for that, i guess

well I struggle with seeing men with hands in their pockets but I don't complain about it on the net

I suspect it's a rather old fashioned stance taken by men who were taught that it looks slovenly to put your hands in your pockets.

Of course no one gives a stuff these days. Except Prince Charles, who lives in a different century from the rest of us.

I don't walk with my hands behind my back either, I usually need at least one to pick my nose..lol





Muck

Royalty apart, I see quite a lot of British men walking with their hands behind their backs.

They're wearing handcuffs.

Threadworms ?

Prince Charles & his dad are the only men I've ever noticed doing this - perhaps it's a Danish/Greek thing

Chuck sometimes varies it by putting the fingers of one hand in the pocket of his (buttoned-up) jacket, which I think looks even odder.

I thought they were German

Phil's a bubble.

Liz is a jock.

So charles is a greek/sweatty hybrid.

I've never done it that I was aware of. I think it's a royalty/celebrity thing, to avoid the over-enthusiastic (or ill-intentioned) trying to grab them or shake their hands, in which case that foundation stone would never get laid.

in which case that foundation stone would never get laid.>>>>>

I know how it feels.