Prince William andKate Middleton showed rare PDA earlier this week, even though it's against royal etiquette to do so.- A photo of the couple playing arcade games at Barry Island, South Wales is strikingly similar to photos of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at Canada House earlier this year.
- The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were once dubbed the most affectionate royal couple before they resigned.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge showed rare signs of affection on a visit to Barry Island, South Wales earlier this week.
The above photo (left) of Kate Middleton placing a hand on Prince William's back as they play an arcade game may not seem like much, but it's actually considered against royal etiquette for couples to show PDA at official engagements.
The moment was reminiscent of a similar photo of
It's possible Middleton and William were taking a page from Harry and Markle's book; last year, before they left the
"On my recent trip to Northern Ireland with Harry and Meghan, it was hard to not notice the amount of time she spent looking lovingly into his eyes," Tim Rooke, a royal photographer, told Insider.
"I've not seen this much affection between two royals in my decades of shooting. They are much more affectionate in public than other royal couples," he added.
"The Sussexes are often holding hands if cameras are there or not. They're such an authentic couple, and every time I photograph them you can sense the love and affection they have for each other."
However, that's not to say William and Middleton never show affection in public — it's just more unusual for them to do so in an official capacity.
During a visit to South Wales in January, William was photographed placing a protective hand on Middleton's shoulder as they spoke to well-wishers outside the Mumbles Lifeboat Station near Swansea.
Furthermore, this candid photo of Middleton caressing William's cheek at Wimbledon last year was a moment likely not intended for the cameras.
But the PDA the couple showed this week was different, as Middleton and William were aware that the photo was being taken at the official engagement.
They even chose that photo to post on their official Instagram account after the visit.
There's no denying the couple's display of affection was a rare — and welcome — sight for Cambridge fans.
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- Meghan Markle and Prince Harry couldn't keep their hands off one another at their first appearance of 2020