Why can’t Prince William and Kate Middleton show affection in public? Here is what we know.

The Prince and Princess of Wales are known for refraining their public displays of affection, other than subtly touching each other’s arm. This body language was only highlighted as Prince William and Kate Middleton reunited with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who do not act so refrained.

Following the news about Queen Elizabeth’s passing, the Fab Four greeted a mourning crowd of royal fans outside the gates of Windsor Castle.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex instantly held walk hand-in-hand, and even a body language expert examined how the Prince went into “bodyguard mode” to protect his wife.

But given the couple departed the British royal family in early 2020, they are under no obligation to show the same reservation as Kate and William.

Therefore they can express emotion and affection more frequently, which was an intense contradiction to Kate and William in the event following the Queen’s death.

“Harry has ‘I am peeved’ written all over his face. He’s angry and protecting Meghan with his hand on her back. They’re showing ‘we are different. You don’t want us to be royal, we will not walk the straight line. So we will hold hands’,” body language expert Dr Louise Mahler said to Now to Love.

“It’s not normal royal protocol to hold hands in that environment – everyone else was spaced very clearly – but they’re together. That’s a statement.”

The two couples differing approaches to affection created speculation that Prince Harry and Meghan were together for love, but Prince William and Kate were together for duty.

However, it is known that as senior working members of the British royal family, Kate and William are discouraged from displaying public affection. The royal pressures are even more enforced as since Charles III was named King, it puts Kate and William next in line for the King and Queen Consort title.

A royal etiquette expert, Myker Meier told People suggested that the royals are considered to be working while on tour.

“The likely reasoning is more that while traveling on a tour [or other royal engagements], technically the couple are working representatives of British Monarchy. The couple are likely to show very little PDA, if any, to remain professional during their designated roles,” he said.

It has also been noted that King Charles III and the Queen Consort Camilla did not hold hands while walking into Buckingham Palace.

Profile Tia Thomas Senior Digital Content Producer

After completing a Bachelor of Communication, majoring in Journalism and Media Production, Tia began her career in media 2022. She writes on the Now To Love website, particularly for the legacy brand TV Week and manages its social media platforms. She is currently the Senior Digital Content Producer on Now To Love, writing predominately for TV Week while managing all its social media platforms. It is here she can combine her professional and personal passions for reality TV, drama, celebrity, Australian and International TV – and donning her favourite clothes for a red carpet to interview some of television’s best.