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While walking the red carpet for the 2023 BAFTA Awards, Kate Middleton got a little playful with her husband, Prince William, as she gave him a little tap on the backside. The fleeting moment did not fail to capture many eyes and it sparked varied reactions online.
Both the Princess of Wales and the Prince were all smiles as they walked side-by-side. At one particular moment during their walk, Kate seemed to reach for William’s hand, which the Prince did not really notice, and raised his hand at the same time to wave at the people. Kate playfully patted William’s bum the next moment in a gleeful gesture as they both shared a smile.
Vogue captured the moment in a video and shared it on their official Instagram page. The outlet joked that the royal couple were just like any regular husband and wife who sometimes like to share a passionate gesture between themselves.
One user on the blue-bird app, however, compared the moment to one of Melania and Donald Trump's red carpet interactions where the former First Lady of the United States brushed off her husband's attempt to hold her hand in a bold gesture.
"If this were Meghan and Harry, everyone would be going wild": Netizens react to Kate Middleton and Prince William's red carpet appearance
Kate sported a stunning one-shouldered white gown designed by Alexander McQueen on the BAFTAs red carpet on February 20. The Princess wore the dress at the 2019 BAFTAs as well.
However, for this year’s ceremony, she styled her overall look differently by adding a pair of black opera gloves. Kate also wore her hair loose this year, whereas in 2019, she put it up in an updo. The Princess of Wales also sported gorgeous dangling golden earrings from Zara.
Prince William donned a black velvet tuxedo, pairing it with a black bowtie. This was the British royal couple’s first arrival at the BAFTAs since 2020. The Prince of Wales has been the president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts since 2010.
In 2021, the couple missed the BAFTA Awards ceremony following the passing of Prince Phillip, who died on April 9, 2021, just a day prior to the scheduled ceremony. In 2022, the couple was again unable to attend the ceremony due to “diary constraints”.
However, fans did not have a wholesome reaction to the small, playful gesture of PDA between Kate and William on the BAFTA red carpet. Many alleged that if Harry and Meghan were in their place, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would have been hacked for pulling such a stunt at a public event.
A few others pointed out how William pulled away because he did not want to hold Kate's hand. Many protested against Vogue's Instagram caption, where the outlet wrote that William and Kate were just like any ordinary couple, and said that the royals were nothing like them.
Some even ridiculed Kate's attire as they commented on the gloves she wore and said how it did not go well with her white dress.
Several people mocked Kate's Zara earrings worth £17.
This year, the BAFTA Awards were held at London’s Royal Festival Hall in Southbank. The event usually takes place at the Royal Albert Hall. This was Kate Middleton and Prince William’s first big appearance after Prince Harry’s bombshell memoir, Spare came out in January 2023.
