Prince William and Kate Middleton have been husband and wife for nearly 10 years now! We have all watched as they introduced their three lovely children to the world. However, some things have changed between them after Prince Harry got married to American actress Meghan Markle. As always, people were quick to notice these subtle developments about the royal family. So let’s figure out what exactly happened.
Ups And Downs
Before the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge got married, they experienced some ups and downs. They first met in 2001 when they were both students at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. Reports say William first noticed his lovely wife when she was in a charity fashion show.
At Long Last
When the two started dating, there were obstacles in the way. For one thing, Kate received plenty of media attention. In fact, she filed a complaint through her lawyers for the endless harassment. This was the reason they eventually broke up in 2007, but it did not take long before they found their way back to each other. A decade after their first meeting, the lovebirds tied the knot in Westminster Abbey
The Married Life
After they walked down the aisle, Kate and William started a new chapter of their lives together. They started their own family and welcomed Prince George in 2013. Their supporters noticed that while they seem to be close, they hardly displayed their affections for one another in public. It turns out that there was actually a reason for this.
No PDA
Kate and William opted not to display their affection in public for one reason. Essentially, they were at work. You would not think it is appropriate for office workers to hold hands during work hours, right? This is the same reason the two did not get all touchy when the cameras were around. They knew they had the responsibility of representing the monarchy.
Official Photos
“The Duke and Duchess are almost always seen in photographs taken during official engagements, so they are at ‘work,’ and it would be unprofessional to hold hands,” Emily Nash of HELLO! explained during an interview in 2017. She went on, “They also need to shake hands with a huge number of people as they meet them, so aside from being on duty, it wouldn’t be very practical!”
Sporting Events Are Different
“We know [the Duke and Duchess] are very affectionate and that sometimes comes across during more lighthearted moments, at sporting events or similar, but you wouldn’t expect them to put that on show while in more formal situations,” said a source. As we can see, Kate and William are engaging in PDA in this photo at the 2012 London Olympics.
Sporting Events Are Different
“We know [the Duke and Duchess] are very affectionate and that sometimes comes across during more lighthearted moments, at sporting events or similar, but you wouldn’t expect them to put that on show while in more formal situations,” said a source. As we can see, Kate and William are engaging in PDA in this photo at the 2012 London Olympics.
New Couple In Town
In 2017, however, people began to notice a change in their dynamic. It seems like this stemmed from the way Prince Harry and Meghan interacted in public. Was the addition of a new Royal the reason?
Harry And Meghan
If you keep up with the Royals, there is a good chance you have seen at least one photograph of Harry and Meghan holding hands. In July 2018, they even shared what looked like an intense kiss at a polo match. Although it was unexpected, everyone ate it up.
A Fresh Modern Approach
“Meghan and Prince Harry holding hands at a royal engagement is a refreshingly modern approach to their new role both as a couple and as representatives of the royal family,” Myka Meier, a royal etiquette specialist, told People in 2017.
Royal PDA
Meier also explained that public displays of affection are “simply a matter of preference for each couple and is also likely dependent on the nature of the event.” Even though there are outliers like Charles and Camilla who have also been seen holding hands, this is the general rule of thumb: “a more serious engagement would warrant a more serious level of professionalism, which each royal is sure to follow.”
Professionalism
One should note that this professionalism was once strictly followed. In the 2017 biography titled Prince Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life, the author said that the public affection, or lack thereof, between Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip has always been on display. Sally Bedell-Smith, the person behind the non-fiction book, said, “In the manner of the upper class, neither of them were physically demonstrative.”
Unexpected Display
However, William and Kate took people by surprise in October 2018 when they were not shy with their PDA. The Duchess just came back from her maternity leave after the birth of Prince Louis. Do you remember the time we’re talking about?
Quite Unusual For The Pair Prince William was accompanying Kate to London’s Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit. People noticed that William placed his hand on her back and her leg during the event! It was only natural that fans took note since this was not the way they usually behaved. A Rarity
There was more to the story. Several days after that, the two of them went to the wedding of Princess Eugenie. Once more, they appeared to be closer than usual! Kirsten Aiken took to Twitter to update everyone. Her tweet read, “Commentary team oohs and aahs over an apparently rare PDA by William and Kate (mind you, they’re only holding hands!).”
Body Language
A body language interpreter by the name of Judi James had more to say about this pleasant surprise. “They managed to outdo Harry and Meghan here,” she said in an interview with the Daily Mirror. “Kate reached across to place a hand on the arm of her husband’s chair, and he put his own hand over it in a very romantic gesture.”