William and Kate, the Prince and Princess of Wales, have become the focus of a new viral video after clips highlighting the couple's off-duty gestures were posted to social media site TikTok.
The prince and princess regularly attend engagements together around Britain and the commonwealth, in addition to their calendar of solo commitments to charities and community projects.
The couple have seen their roles within the monarchy increase over the past year, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022. With the accession of the new King Charles and Queen Camilla, William and Kate became the second most senior couple within the royal family, with Charles giving them the new titles of Prince and Princess of Wales.
Uploaded to TikTok by user @the_blazing_royals on August 11, the new viral video shows footage of William and Kate taken both before and during royal events, highlighting their "off-duty" affectionate gestures, such as holding each other's hands.
The clip, captioned "They are amazing 🥰," has been viewed over 190,000 times on the social media platform so far, receiving in excess of 13,000 likes and 100 comments—many of which have praised the royals for their public displays of affection.
@the_blazing_royals They are amazing 🥰 #royalfamily #princesskate #princewilliam ♬ original sound - Everything Royal 👑
"Twenty years ago they met at university.. And they are still as in love as ever 🥰," wrote one TikTok user of the couple, who famously met while studying at St. Andrew's University in Scotland in 2001, before starting their relationship which saw them marry at Westminster Abbey in 2011.
"Their love is private, not secret," wrote another, with a further comment reading: "Swoon!"
A number of clips included in the video were taken during royal tours both before and during official events covered by the media. Two clips show the couple in the Bahamas, during a tour of the Caribbean to mark Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee.
The tour faced a number of controversies, including poorly chosen photo opportunities and backlash from protestors, but also resulted in a number of viral moments shared by fans.
One clip from the Bahamas visit shows William and Kate at an official reception marking the end of their tour. The princess caused a fashion stir by making a regal appearance in an elegant ice blue slip-shoulder gown by London designer, Phillipa Lepley, and the footage shows the royals walking side-by-side during the event and hand in hand afterwards.
There is no royal protocol that states members of the royal family cannot hold hands or show affection in public. However, when they do it is often picked up upon by the press and fans.
William and Kate, in particular, have seen their public displays of affection become the subject of viral videos, particularly after large events. Most recently, the couple's interaction during the 2023 BAFTA Film Awards made headlines, where the princess playfully patted her husband on the butt while walking the red carpet.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter based in London. You can find him on 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.
