Britain’s Duke and Duchess of Cambridge chose to "remain professional" and refrain from "public displays of affection" during their trip to India.
The 33-year-old prince and Kate, 34, have just returned from exploring the Asian country on their Royal Tour of India and Bhutan and visited the romantic and ivory white palace, the Taj Mahal, on Saturday (16.04.16).
But the couple – whose children, Prince George of Cambridge, two, and 11-month-old daughter Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, did not accompany them on the trip – refrained from showing affection such as holding hands because they are "working representatives" of the British monarchy.
Royal etiquette expert Myka Meier told People: "There is no actual etiquette or royal protocol that says the couple must refrain from PDA (public displays of affection). The likely reasoning is more that while traveling on a tour such as the India trip, technically the couple are working representatives of British monarchy. The couple are likely to show very little PDA, if any, to remain professional during their designated roles abroad."
However, when they perched on the same bench that Prince William’s mother, the late Princess Diana, sat outside the Taj Mahal 24 years ago in 1992, they appeared relaxed and smiled for the paparazzi despite the emotions the visit may have stirred.
But according to a royal source, the couple are focused on building "new memories" for their family.
The insider said: "For the Duke of Cambridge, his mother’s visit to the Taj Mahal is not a particularly strong memory at all. He has many other memories of his mother that are much more important to him. The visit was about creating new memories for their family."