Note that both the President and the First Lady are closing their eyelids. Ninety percent of our sensory input is visual. The other four senses are obligated to "share" the remaining ten percent. Also, forty percent of the entire human brain is dedicated to vision. Thus when we close our eyes, a bit more blood and electrical activity of the brain is directed to hearing, taste, smell and touch - as well as the cognitive and emotional centers of the brain. So when a person with a healthy visual system closes their eyes, they are trying to squeeze out every ounce of emotion in that moment (Intriguing, this phenomenon also holds true for the other senses as well - when you close your eyes while eating that chocolate cake, you're not just imagining that it tastes better - it truly does taste better. Or when you're smelling that bouquet of flowers, listening carefully, careful touching, etc., - and of course for enhanced cognition too).
Kissing the eye/eyelid or the regions immediately adjacent to the eye is indicative of high affection and high sincerity. This is true in all relationship contexts, with parents, with children, with siblings, etc. Recognizing this nonverbal and other affection displays, are profoundly important distinctions to make in the context of romantic relationships - for very often, many an adult fail to make a distinction between sexual behavior and sincere affectionate behavior.
Although we cannot be 100% sure due to the angle of this photograph, we can be reasonably certain that the palm of Ronald Reagan's (right) hand is touching the shoulder/back of Nancy. Full palmar touch (as opposed to the only the tips of the fingers/thumb) is indicative of high sincerity and also, in the context of a hug, high affection.
My sincere condolences to Nancy Reagan's friends and family.
See also:
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3490: Conor McGregor, being a Plumber and LeBron James
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3236: A Common Body Language Disparity Display
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3469: Leonardo DiCaprio and Dame Maggie Smith on BAFTA Awards Kiss Cam - The British Academy Film Awards
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3301: Sarah Palin re: Bush vs. Trump regarding speaking Spanish - "When you're here, let's Speak American!"
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2322: Jeb Bush & Matt Lauer - Which one is the Narcissist? Body Language Red Flags
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2616: John Kennedy and Richard Nixon Handshake at Kennedy Inaugural Address, One Body Language Maneuver to Counter a Dominance Display
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 2678: French President François Hollande, Valerie Trierweiler and Julie Gayet - Of Affairs, Affection and Body Language Tells
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3414: Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth and Affection
Nonverbal Communication Analysis No. 3446: Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Body Language
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