Duchess Kate and Prince Harry... When is it Flirting?
By GalTime .com. Posted on .
By Jane Greer, Ph.D. for GalTime
Relationships: When Does Flirting Cross The Line?
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, (formerly known as Kate Middleton) and her brother-in-law Prince Harry were recently caught by photographers exchanging "flirty" glances. The pictures were taken during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in honor of Queen Elizabeth II. Standing with the royal family on that famous balcony, Kate and Harry swapped what appeared to be secretive smiles and a knowing laugh while William had his head turned. Only the media would peg this as possibly inappropriate flirting instead of the more likely scenario that Kate and Harry were just having a good time, as a brother-in-law and a sister-in-law often do. But it does raise a question that many people ask: when is it actually flirting? And to take that a step further, when does flirting cross the line?
The answer is that it depends. Flirting generally gets a bad rap, especially if you aren’t single, just as Kate’s smiling at someone other than her husband drew negative attention. But the truth is, whether you are unattached or committed to someone, putting yourself out there with a member of the opposite sex and making smart conversation helps you feel desirable and confident. It creates positive energy that can make you feel good about yourself.
More from YourTango: The One Thing He Can't Do For You
Related: Chatting or Cheating? How to Tell
More from YourTango: How To Get Financially Stable After Divorce
If you are already in a relationship, however, you have to make sure that you are both comfortable if either of you flirt with other people. One of my male patients, for example, became upset when his girlfriend would reach out and touch other men while joking with them in bars or at parties. When he asked her about it, she assured him that she is just a “touchy feely” person and it meant nothing to her. But her boyfriend didn’t agree. From a guy’s point of view, he felt that the touching took the flirting to a different level. In their case, they had to set boundaries, which can be different for each couple, to make sure that whatever went on didn’t make them feel bad or doubt the other person’s feelings. Flirting definitely crosses the line when it becomes a sexual invitation to someone you are not in a relationship with.
If you are able to stay on the appropriate side of the line, though, then you can make sure all that heightened sexual energy is stored up for your partner whom you will share it with later. If your relationship is solid and you feel you are being given enough one-on-one time, then that generally works. Sometimes watching your partner flirt can give you a sense of pride. It can even be a turn on.
