The Princess of Wales was seen cheekily tapping her husband’s bottom as they walked the red carpet for the BAFTAs in 2023, with a body language expert revealing what might have been behind the tactile gesture

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Prince William and Princess Kate walked the BAFTAs red carpet together three years ago(Image: David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock)

The 2026 BAFTAs will see the who’s who of the British entertainment industry gather to celebrate the best of the arts. In recent years, the Prince and Princess of Wales have attended the event, with the royal couple sharing a cheeky moment on the red carpet in 2023.

William and Kate put on a glamourous display with the Princess of Wales wowing in a recycled Alexander McQueen gown and dramatic black opera-style gloves, while William looked dapper in a full tuxedo. As they walked the carpet, Kate was spotted in a ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ moment, tapping William affectionately on his behind.

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The Prince and Princess of Wales last attended the BAFTAs together in 2023(Image: AP)

The clip quickly went viral on social media, with many royal fans loving the cheeky moment in what was described as a rare flirty PDA. And according to body language expert Judi James, it seems the case that Kate performed the gesture following a mistake by William – and she used it as a reprimand.

She told the Mirror: “This bum-tap gesture is part of a swift series of non-verbal signals between the couple, known as tie-signs. They were clearly more tactile than usual for this red carpet appearance and their very glamorous styling gave them the look of an A-list power couple.

“Like all good A-listers, Kate seemed to be using tie-signs or non-verbal cues to help choreograph their movements but there was one small moment when they appeared to fall out of sync, possibly due to the fact that William seemed unable to keep his eyes off his stunning wife.”

“As they walk past the crowds, Kate seems to look back to acknowledge a complimentary comment with a smile. She then pushes her right hand out towards William’s in what looks like a cue to hold hands. William mistakenly leans in to suggest he is expecting more of the flirty whispering they have been doing and raises his hand as his head gets closer, missing Kate’s offer. Kate then ‘rewards’ William with a pat on the bum. So this works as both a sexy ritual or appreciation and a small reprimand for missing her cue.”

During their evening at the BAFTAs, the couple met BAFTA chairman Krishnendu Majumdar, chief executive Jane Millichip and chairwoman of the BAFTA film committee Anna Higgs ahead of the ceremony.

William told the leaders they were doing a “great job” and nodded as Ms Higgs spoke of how important it was to pursue “diversity” in the industry. He praised Ms Millichip for handling her position well despite being made chief executive in a “baptism of fire”.

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The royal couple shared a flirty moment on the red carpet(Image: David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock)

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Body language expert Judi James decoded Kate’s cheeky bum tap gesture to William(Image: David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock)

During the ceremony, a pre-recorded tribute to the late Queen was paid by Dame Helen Mirren, who played the late monarch in the 2006 biopic The Queen. William and Kate watched from the centre of the front row as Dame Helen said: “Cinema at its best does what Her Majesty did effortlessly – bring us together and unite us through a story. Your Majesty, you were our nation’s leading star.”

Prince William, who has been present of BAFTA since 2010, attended the awards solo in 2024, as Kate took a step back from her royal duties while she underwent treatment for cancer. Before that, the couple attended in 2020.