Kate Middleton smiles at Prince William while viewing a display of Korean items at Buckingham Palace on November 21.Photo:Kin Cheung - WPA Pool/Getty
Kin Cheung - WPA Pool/Getty
Kate Middletonswitched up tradition at the start of South Korea’s state visit to the U.K.
On Tuesday, the Princess of Wales, 41, made two unexpected moves while viewing a display of Korean items from the Royal Collection at Buckingham Palace. The tour followed a private lunch thatKing Charlesheld to welcome President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife, First Lady Kim Keon Hee, at the start of their three-day stay.
While Princess Kate andPrince Williamwere all business as theygreeted the presidential couple(an important duty) at their hotel in London on behalf of the King, 75, Kate let her hair down later in the day. The Princess of Wales woreher hairloose during the tour in the Picture Gallery after taking down the chignon she wore at the start of the day.
Kate rarely changes her hair between engagements. In September, she kept the same knotted chignon for back-to-back outings at a church service honoringQueen Elizabethon the first anniversary ofher deathand a visit to a Câr-Y-Môr Seaweed Farm in Wales.
Prince William and Kate Middleton chat with Choo Kyungho, Korea’s Deputy Prime Minister, second right and Park Jin, the Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs, right, at Buckingham Palace on November 21.Kin Cheung - WPA Pool/Getty
While William and Kate’s latest public display of affection might be an unusual sight, royal etiquette expert Myka Meierpreviously told PEOPLEthat there are no formal rules on royal couples showing romance in public — it’s at their own discretion.
“Senior members of the royal family would likely not be told how to interact or when they can or can not show PDA and would be trusted to use their better judgment as to when it’s appropriate,” Meier said. “The royals often adjust PDA to mirror the formality of the event they are attending. At a somber or more formal event, we are less likely to see PDA than at a casual event where it would be deemed more fitting.”
Despite this precedent, the Prince and Princess of Wales seem to have relaxed this stance in recent months. During the celebration of King Charles' coronation in Scotland on in July, Kate wasspotted with her hand on William’s backsideas she leaned over to chat with him. The touch wasreminiscent ofanother love tap between the royal couple at the BAFTAs in February — as the royal couple walked the red carpet, cameras caught a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment where Kate patted William’s butt.
Prince William and Kate Middleton and King Charles' coronation celebration in Scotland in July.PETER BYRNE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
PETER BYRNE/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
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The couple are also known to be relaxed with affection in sporty settings, and have kissed on the pitch at Prince William’sRoyal Charity Polo Dayin the summer.
Pomp and pageantry will reign later today when King Charles andQueen Camillahost a state banquet at Buckingham Palace in honor of the South Korean state visit, which the Prince and Princess of Wales are expected to attend.
source: people.com
