Prince William and Kate Middleton sent royal fans into a frenzy on Thursday with a special public display of affection during a royal charity polo match which coincided with International Kissing Day, forming the basis of a new viral video.
William took part in the Out-Sourcing Inc. Royal Charity Polo Cup 2023 at Guards Polo Club in the grounds of Windsor Castle on July 6, cheered on by Kate and a group including royal staff and extended family members.
The annual match is organized to raise funds for charities supported by the royal couple and over the 12 years that William has played in the events, has raised over £12 million.
On Thursday, the prince's team ended the match with a victory, creating a special moment of celebration for Kate who presented the prizes. Though the princess diligently shook hands with all of the players, a special recognition was reserved for her husband who got two triumphant kisses on the cheek.
Uploaded to TikTok by user, catherineprincesadegales, footage of the couple's affectionate exchange has been viewed over 120,000 times in less than 24 hours and is one of a number of such videos to be widely circulated on the platform.
@catherineprincesadegales Princess Catherine gives William his polo prize and a kiss after his victory at Windsor. #catherine #catherineprincesadegales #polo #royalpolo #katemiddleton #princewilliam #principewilliam ♬ Love Story Lofi (Remix) - Aurel Surya Lie
Captioned "Princess Catherine gives William his polo prize and a kiss after his victory at Windsor," the video has received in excess of 7,000 likes and over 100 comments, many of which have praised the royals for the moment shared in public.
"What a beautiful couple," wrote one TikTok user.
"Just like that it's done! Ladies and gentlemen the future King and Queen," said another, with a further comment reading: "She's so proud."
The viral kissing moment comes as the couple have found themselves the subject of increasing numbers of social media videos and posts since taking on more prominent positions within the royal family in 2022, following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
In one of his first acts as king, Charles III created William and Kate the new Prince and Princess of Wales, titles which are traditionally bestowed on the first member of the royal family to inherit the throne, and their spouse.
William and Kate marked their 12th wedding anniversary this year, having married at Westminster Abbey in London on April 29, 2011. Over the years, fans have been quick to pick up on the couple's frequent public displays of affection, with many making dedicated social media posts about each one.
Most recently, the couple caused a stir following the 2023 BAFTA film awards in February, where Kate appeared to pat William affectionately on the butt as they walked the red carpet in London.
The couple's polo kiss comes as they have undertaken a number of engagements in recent days, including a brief visit to Scotland where they attended the coronation celebrations for King Charles.
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.
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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
