The Prince and Princess of Wales have become the focus of a new viral video as a public display of affection exchanged between the couple during a red-carpet appearance has found praise on TikTok.
William and Kate will celebrate their 13th wedding anniversary in April. The couple met while studying at college and married in 2011, and together they have three children: Prince George (born 2013); Princess Charlotte (2015); and Prince Louis (2018).
The couple's early relationship became a topic of renewed public fascination in 2023, after it featured as a main plotline in the final season of Netflix's royal drama series The Crown.
Played by actors Meg Bellamy and Ed McVey, the show chronicled the start of William and Kate's relationship, at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, which they attended together from 2001 to 2005.
In the years since their relationship became public, and increasingly since the widespread development of social media, royal fans have eagerly anticipated and celebrated moments where the couple have engaged in public displays of affection (PDA), from comforting hugs to congratulatory kisses.
Uploaded to TikTok by user @princess__jo, the video is one of the latest PDA social-media clips to go viral. The footage shows Kate famously patting her husband on the butt as they chatted and smiled on the red carpet of the BAFTA Film awards in London, England, in 2023.
William is president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, which stages the awards each year, and he has attended the annual ceremony alongside Kate on several occasions.
The princess' light-hearted gesture towards her husband on the red carpet was widely reported on following the event. Social-media users debated whether it was spontaneous or in response to the prince moving his hand unawares as Kate tried to take it.
The TikTok video clip has been viewed over 250,000 times so far, with more than 4,000 likes and numerous comments, many of which have praised the royal couple.
"Power couple. Class act.. Wow Princess Catherine absolutely stunning," wrote one user.
"They're comfortable enough with each other to be able to play in public. Good for them," posted another, with a further user adding: "I love the pat on his butt! So sweet! Beautiful couple!"
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.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more
