Kate Middleton's Behind-the-Scenes Coronation Curtsy Caught on Camera

The Princess of Wales' regal curtsy to King Charles III after his coronation service in May 2023 in London, England, has been seen for the first time, in footage released ahead of a new documentary charting his first year as monarch.

Kate has been spotted performing curtsies to both Charles and Queen Camilla on a number of public occasions since their accession in September 2022, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Curtsies are reverential gestures offered by female members of the royal family to the sovereign and their consort twice each day, upon greeting and departing their company.

In the past year, the action, which comprises a brief bending of the knee and bowing of the head, has become the subject of a number of viral videos since Meghan Markle faced criticism in December 2022. She described her initial thought at being asked to perform the gesture to her future husband's grandmother as a "joke" in her Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan.

In a pre-released clip from the BBC documentary Charles III: The Coronation Year, which will air in Britain on December 26, members of the royal family were filmed arriving back at Buckingham Palace, London, after the historic Westminster Abbey ceremony on May 6, before gathering with the king and queen.

In a clip from this footage, posted to X (formerly Twitter) by user @tokkianami, Prince William and Kate are seen walking through the palace, before the princess greets Charles with two kisses and her curtsy.

Captioned "The Prince and Princess of Wales in a new clip for Charles III: The Coronation Year documentary," the video has been viewed over 136,000 times on the platform so far, gaining in excess of 3,160 likes and numerous comments, many of which have praised the royals.

"Absolutely mesmerizing, endearing, and loving moments to watch," wrote one X user.

"They look absolutely incredible," posted another, with a further comment reading: "Princess Catherine looks so regal but so glamorous too like a movie star - just wow!"

For the coronation, Kate wore a custom gown designed by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, the same creative team that made her wedding dress in 2011.

The gown featured intricate silverwork embroidery that represented the four floral emblems of the nations making up the United Kingdom: roses for England; shamrocks for Northern Ireland; thistles for Scotland; and daffodils for Wales.

Kate's dress matched with the one worn by her daughter, Princess Charlotte, for the event, having also been made by McQueen and featuring the same floral embroidery. Royal fashion expert and celebrity stylist Miranda Holder previously told Newsweek that the stylistic continuity adopted by Kate and Charlotte was "a show of typical Wales family unity," which has been seen on a number of high-profile occasions.

James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.

Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.