Prince William and Princess Kate’s rare display of PDA at the BAFTAs

The Princess of Wales delighted fans when she appeared to give her husband Prince William a cheeky tap on the behind at the BAFTAs.

As the royal pair arrived at Royal Festival Hall in London for the awards show, William and Kate whispered to each other before the flirty exchange, captured on camera.

It was a rare public display of affection for the Prince and Princess of Wales, who appeared to be relaxed as they enjoyed attending the event and walking the red carpet together.

Fans were delighted when they spotted the sweet moment between the royals. Photo / Getty Images

And royal fans went wild over the PDA moment on social media.

One wrote, “Oh yes! I saw it!!!” while another commented, “Oh my, oh my, oh my yes I did see that. Wow! I couldn’t love those two any more if I tried. Fantastic.”

“I see it too! How lovely, actually,” a third wrote.

Kate stunned in a one-shoulder Alexander McQueen gown, which she also wore to the awards show in 2019. It’s seen some minor alterations since then, with a sweeping train in place of the floral detailing on the shoulder.

She added to the look with black opera gloves and a pair of gold earrings from Zara costing just £18 (NZ$34.74), instead of borrowing a set of earrings from the royal family’s jewellery collection.

As for William’s outfit, he kept it simple with a double-breasted black velvet tuxedo.

Tonight marked the first time the Prince and Princess of Wales, who traditionally attend the event each year, have made an appearance on the red carpet in three years.

William has held the position of president of BAFTA since 2010, with Kate first attending the ceremony with her husband in 2017.

This is the fifth time the couple have attended the yearly event, which will see them watch the award ceremony before meeting category winners and the nominees of the Rising Star Award.