Kate Middleton’s ‘awkward’ rejection of Prince William’s romantic gesture left fans divided

Kate Middleton’s apparent “rejection” of Prince William’s romantic gesture during a TV appearance was branded “awkward” by some fans, while others rushed to defend her “professionalism”.

• The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge joined Dame Mary Berry for a very special TV appearance back in 2019 but one particular moment hasn’t gone unnoticed. 
• Fans spotted Prince William making a rare romantic gesture towards his wife though the Duchess seemed to “reject” this as she “moved quickly” away. 
• This royal news comes as Buckingham Palace announces the Queen has Covid but will 'continue light duties at Windsor' this week. 

Kate Middleton was dubbed “Children’s Princess” when earlier this month it was announced she would read a bedtime story on BBC children’s channel, Cbeebies. This TV venture came after Kate stole the show with her impressive piano performance in December as she hosted the Together at Christmas carol concert which was broadcast on ITV. After all her years as a senior royal, Kate is no stranger to TV appearances, although there’s one festive special that perhaps stands out. 

Back in 2019, Kate and Prince William joined baking royalty Dame Mary Berry for an unforgettable feel-good festive TV special. A Berry Royal Christmas had everything you could want to get you in the Christmas spirit, as viewers spotted an “iconic” moment between Kate and Mary. It wasn’t the only thing they noticed, however, as Prince William appeared to make a rare display of public affection towards his wife. 

And fans were left seriously divided by the Duchess’ response, with some dubbing the moment “awkward” after she appeared to “reject” the gesture. 

As reported by The Mirror, this surprising moment occurred after Prince William and Kate sat down to talk to charity volunteers. It reportedly looked as though the Queen’s grandchild was attempting to place his hand lovingly on his wife’s shoulder. Although instead of accepting this adorable gesture, it seemed to fans as if the Duchess moved away to prevent it. 

Whether or not it was intentional, this tiny detail didn’t go unnoticed and left viewers seriously divided as many perceived Kate’s movement as “shaking off” Prince William’s touch. 

According to the publication, one Twitter user declared at the time, “Awkward! Too awkward!! They should have cut it out."

“Kate shaking off William's hand on her shoulder during #ABerryRoyalChristmas”, one person commented simply, reflecting on what they’d perceived.

While another claimed the Duchess of Cambridge “moved with quickness” in response. However others defended Kate’s reaction, as one supposedly shared, “I like the way they interact, it’s professional. I don’t want to see excessive hand holding and back rubbing. It’s awkward, like you’re intruding on a private moment."

"LOOK WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED. Kate is beautifully content as William’s hand rests on her shoulder. FIRST William STARTS to remove his hand, AFTER Kate simply shifts”, someone else added.

The Royal Family are known for their professional approach to joint appearances, and romantic displays such as hand holding are rare for royal couples undertaking engagements. However, it’s thought that the Duke and Duchess “relaxed” royal rules since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle “stepped back” in 2020. In October last year, William and Kate’s “gentle PDA”, public display of affection, at the Earthshot Prize 2021 awards captured fans’ imaginations. 

Despite romantic gestures now being less unusual for royal couples, it perhaps makes sense that Kate Middleton and Prince William's TV appearance back in 2019 saw the Duchess’ behavior stay more on what might be seen as the “professional” side.