Kate Middleton Playfully Pats Prince William On The Behind At 2023 BAFTAs; Fans React

Prince William and Kate Middleton had a subtle PDA moment on the red carpet of the 2023 BAFTAs.

The royal couple made their first red carpet appearance as the Prince and Princess of Wales at the 76th EE BAFTA Film Awards at the Royal Festival Hall in London Sunday. Middleton stunned in a white one-shoulder Alexander McQueen dress, while Prince William looked dapper in his black velvet suit.

Vogue magazine shared on Instagram a clip of the couple's arrival, and it appeared to show Middleton giving her husband a playful tap on the behind while they were talking and walking on the red carpet.

"Princess Kate gave Prince William a love tap as they arrived to the 2023 #BAFTAs, proving that royals really are just like us— a regular husband and wife that sometimes like to cop a feel," the caption read.

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A number of royal fans seemingly enjoyed Middleton and Prince William's subtle show of affection during the ceremony.

"Did Kate just smack William's butt??? Cheeky! Hehe," one person commented. Another added, "Did she just tap his behind in the end?" along with a laughing emoji.

"She tapped him like a naughty child," another wrote.

"Well you would, wouldn't you? Prince William was bringing the heat tonight," a fourth fan commented.

However, some speculated that the reactions would have been different if it were Meghan Markle and Prince Harry in the video.

"[I] thought this was unacceptable behavior [woman shrugging emoji] or was that just for Meghan and Harry?" one user wrote on Instagram. "As soon as I watched this, I thought to myself if Meghan did this, she would've been called all kinds of names and definitely the headlines would've been different."

"I love this, I really really do. I love to see it. However, if this was Meghan giving Harry a 'love tap,' the papers would be going wild, everyone would be going wild," a different comment claimed.

Other social media users speculated that Middleton tried to reach out for her husband's hand but couldn't grab it because he just raised his hand to wave at onlookers.

"I think she is reaching for his hand and he somehow raised it... Can any of you see that?" one person suggested.

"She's trying to hold his hand, but he pulled away and greeted the press!" another commenter wrote.

Sunday's event marked the couple's return to the BAFTAs after they missed the last two ceremonies.

Prince William, who has been president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts since 2010, pulled out of the 2021 ceremony following his grandfather Prince Philip's death at the age of 99. The couple didn't attend last year due to diary constraints.