Mickey Rooney's royal gesture

The legendary Hollywood actor, Mickey Rooney, who has died at the age of 93 had one spectacular royal moment in a long life that had as much drama as comedy in it.  In 2007 he met the Queen at a garden party during her tour of America.  And her couldn't resist kissing her hand.

Mickey Rooney plays the gentleman as he kisses the hand of the Queen in Washington in 2007

It wasn't strictly how he should have greeted Elizabeth II - a gentle handshake is the norm.  But the Queen didn't seem to mind the sweeping gesture of a man whose life was as colourful off screen as on. As he passes into cinema legend, the photograph of him with the Queen provides a lasting image of a man whose charisma and force of personality made him a much loved figure through ten decades on the screen.