Body Language Expert Notices William Doesn't Mind Kate's Cheeky PDA Moment - Exclusive
Public displays of affection between royal couples don't happen often — one very public exception has been the Buckingham Palace balcony kiss on their wedding day. It started with Prince Charles and Princess Diana at their wedding in 1981 and Prince Andrew and Sarah "Fergie" Ferguson followed suit in 1986. Twenty-five years later, Prince William and Kate Middleton shared not one but two kisses on the balcony for the world to see.
Apart from their wedding day kisses, moments of PDA between Catherine, Princess of Wales and William, Prince of Wales are rare. It's not an official royal requirement for couples to keep their hands off each other. One etiquette expert told Elle, "Each senior member of the royal family is trusted to make the judgment calls of what's appropriate and when."
However, there have been a few times the couple has been caught sharing some intimate moments together. One of them was at the 2023 Royal Ascot when Kate rested her hand on William's lower back, and potentially even a bit lower. Jess Ponce III, body language expert and author of "A.W.E.S.O.M.E.," told The List that it looks like William wasn't bothered by his wife's cheeky show of affection.
Prince William didn't mind a bit of PDA from Kate
Body language expert Jess Ponce III tells The List that "Touch is one of the key signs of intimacy, and [Kate and William] are showing more and more intimate interactions. In this recent viral video, you see Princess Kate reach out behind Prince Williams as he turns around. What initially appears to be her reaching to his lower back as if to help guide him, is now questioned as a longer-than-normal linger," Ponce points out.
The lingering touch happened before they presented the winning jockey with the trophy for the Commonwealth Cup race. Their Royal Ascot appearance wasn't a super casual event where PDA might be more expected; they'd arrived in a horse-drawn carriage and Kate wore a bold red outfit complete flowery hat while William was in a top hat and suit.
Some could have seen the moment as an awkward break from royal protocol at a formal event, but Ponce saw it more as a natural show of affection between a husband and wife. "Is she reaching out to help him or is she in fact grabbing his bum? Either way, Prince William doesn't seem to mind," Ponce adds.
Kate and William seem more comfortable showing moments of public intimacy
Jess Ponce III explains why it's been rare in the past to see Kate and William engaging in PDA or even touching each other in public. "Here we have two people who have grown up with and been groomed to behave in a certain way. Signs of intimacy are almost nonexistent when it comes to royal couples being in public." However, Ponce notes that Kate and William "have pushed the boundaries of traditional royal behavior, especially when it comes to their physical interactions. The public notices — and loves it."
Another similar moment of intimacy between Kate and William on the 2023 BAFTAs red carpet. The couple looked sophisticated with William in a velvet tuxedo and Kate in a white gown and black opera gloves, but they looked like a regular couple when Kate gave William a tap on his bum as they walked in.
William and Kate seem to be all right with breaking away from the tradition of staying reserved in public, and their fondness for each other is often obvious. "Not only do they stare into each other's eyes with gleaming smiles of adoration, [but] they touch. A lot," Ponce says. And people don't mind the future king and queen of England showing affection. It's moments of intimacy such as this one that Ponce said people like — the chance to see Kate as "the loving wife."