Prince William once slipped straight into what a body language expert calls “rescue mode” for his wife, Kate Middleton, during a very public royal moment.
The touching scene played out at the Commonwealth Day service in 2022, when the Prince of Wales stepped in with a quietly romantic gesture that did not go unnoticed.
Kate, who is celebrating her 44th birthday on January 9, looked radiant in a royal blue coat dress and matching hat as she arrived at Westminster Abbey. But the polished moment was disrupted when rain began to fall, catching the Princess of Wales slightly off guard.
True to form, William did not hesitate. Rather than leaving it to staff, he made sure Kate stayed dry, proving yet again why many see him as a hands-on, devoted husband.
Moment Prince William went into ‘rescue mode’ with Kate Middleton at royal service
As the rain started to fall, a royal aide rushed over with an umbrella for Kate. She politely declined and continued chatting with a group of children outside the Abbey.
William, however, had other ideas. Stepping forward, he took the umbrella and held it over his wife himself.
What makes this gesture even more romantic is that it is an act that William, as a future king, could have delegated.
Body language expert Judi James told MailOnline that the Prince of Wales clearly “went into rescue mode” in that moment.
Judi also noticed William showing a “blush of pleasure” as Kate responded with what she described as a “glance of loving approval”.
She added: “What makes this gesture even more romantic is that it is an act that William, as a future king, could have delegated.”
William ‘happily lowers his own royal status’ to support Kate
According to Judi, the moment carried a deeper message about their relationship. She suggested William was more than happy to put himself in the background to support his wife.
“This is also a statement of status,” she explained. “William signals that it’s his wife doing the important stuff with this gesture while he happily lowers his own royal status to support her.”
She was also keen to stress that there was nothing performative about it, saying there was “no pose for the cameras or preening here”. Instead, William made it appear as though “this is the kind of thing he does every day of his life”.
A sweet moment, and one that has taken on even more meaning with hindsight.
Since that day, the Prince and Princess of Wales have faced a challenging period. In 2024, Princess Catherine was diagnosed with cancer and underwent treatment.
In September 2024, Kate revealed she had completed her treatment and, in January 2025, she shared the positive news that she was in remission.
William and Kate ‘more united than ever’ after her cancer journey
Reflecting on that difficult period, William admitted in late 2024 that his wife’s cancer journey, alongside his father King Charles’ own battle with cancer, had been “brutal”.
Royal author Katie Nicholl has since said that William and Kate look “more united today than ever” after the past few years.
Read more: Meghan Markle’s ‘private wishes’ to Kate Middleton on her 44th birthday
Speaking to OK!, Nicholl said: “They are a proper partnership, and theirs is a marriage based on friendship, love and mutual respect. They’ve been to hell and back in the past year or two, but they look very, very strong together, and they are clearly very in love.
“Going through cancer can make or break a couple, but we’ve heard William speak so movingly and openly about his love for his wife, and his admiration for everything she’s been through and navigated.”
Princess Kate spotted without engagement ring
The royal couple stepped out for their first public outing of 2026 this week.
The Prince and Princess of Wales visited Charing Cross Hospital in West London, to show support to healthcare workers.
William and Kate are joint patrons of NHS Charities Together, so it was a fitting start to 2026, given the rising pressures staff face during winter virus season.
However, one aspect of their outing quickly hit headlines.
Princess Kate wasn’t wearing her engagement ring.
The Princess of Wales was seen only wearing her Welsh Gold wedding band.
But why did Kate leave her famous sapphire ring at home?
Well, there might be an obvious explanation that has been overlooked.
Kate was likely respecting infection guidelines whilst visiting patients.
Standard infection control precautions listed on the NHS website for employees in a clinical setting are as follows: “Remove all hand and wrist jewellery. The wearing of a single, plain metal finger ring, eg a wedding band, is permitted but should be removed (or moved up) during hand hygiene.”
Panic over!
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