Princess Kate's risqué public display of affection for during a red carpet appearance in 2023 has gone viral online. Kate, who had abdominal surgery in January and subsequently announced that she had been , has not made an official public appearance since Christmas Day. Earlier in May, William his wife was "doing well," though Kensington Palace has stressed that she is not expected to return to her royal duties by her medical team.

In the absence of new appearances from Kate, fans have taken to social media to share highlights and favorite moments from the royal's 13-year marriage, many of which have gone viral. On May 21, user @princess__jo uploaded a that spotlighted a PDA moment between Kate and William that was caught on camera during an appearance at the 2023 BAFTA Film Awards. As the couple walked the red carpet at the awards show, which was hosted at the Royal Festival Hall in London, Kate was spotted playfully .

The gesture quickly spread across social media and became one of the main talking points from the evening. The video that resurfaced the moment has received more than 186,000 views and numerous comments, many of which have praised the couple and their playfulness while in public. "Cheeky," one TikTok user wrote.

"Love them." "I really miss them together again," another commented. Another user said, "What a great couple!" William and Kate have attended the awards show—the British equivalent of the Academy Awards— , with William serving as the president of.