Kate Middleton and Prince William’s relationship is idolized by millions around the world, but an ungentlemanly slip up by the Prince of Wales has shifted that narrative in some online circles. Unfortunately, an awkward moment between William and Kate was caught on camera as they hosted a visit from Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron, the French president and first lady. In a clip posted to X, Kate can be seen entering their carriage unassisted as William watches. As the caption noted, it momentarily looked as if the prince was gearing up to offer his wife — who’s in the midst of recovering from the cancer treatment she went through in 2024 — a hand, but he ended up fixing his own tie instead.

I thought for a moment, Willy was actually going to assist Kate getting up into the carriage because, remember, she’s still recovering from recovering. But I was wrong. He was straightening out his tie. pic.twitter.com/KQB0rQgPiA

— Julie (@Julie_In_The_OC) July 9, 2025

Replies to the post were even more appalled than the original poster. In a comment that railed on both William and Kate, one user tweeted, “Omg I dont think he likes her. So sad. He is always humiliating her.” They continued, “She would have found a genuine friend in Megs to help her when she is going through these horrible times with the future king, but she opted to be a jealous, insecure woman who karma is now visiting.” A second user compared William’s seeming lack of affection to the dynamic between King Charles and the late Princess Diana. “Treats her like Charles treated Diana. He gives off a ‘don’t touch me’ vibe,” they wrote. 

Meanwhile, a third user implied their marriage was doomed. “Wow. What man doesn’t put a hand out to assist his wife?! That marriage is so over,” they tweeted.

Prince William seemingly forgetting to assist Kate Middleton, his wife and the mother of his three children, into their carriage may not have been one of his finest moments, but it’s possible he redeemed himself. That same day, a photo of William holding Kate’s hand as they descended a steep flight of stairs also circulated on social media, giving the most extreme royal watchers hope about the state of their marriage. As you can see above, William looked quite attentive as he held out his hand for Kate, who spent part of 2024 undergoing treatment for her unspecified form of cancer.

Given the year that Kate and William endured, which also included navigating King Charles’ cancer diagnosis, they may deserve a little grace concerning any awkward public moments. According to RadarOnline, for example, the royal couple even took a special trip to the island of Mustique in April 2025 in order to decompress from Kate’s health issues and the unsubstantiated rumors of William’s infidelity, which have been following him around for several years. “They had a few security guards watching in case something happened but of course it didn’t — everyone respects each other’s privacy here,” shared a source. “They were able to relax, eat, drink and swim, talk to locals and other guests of the island in peace,” added an insider. “Of course they let loose, even Kate,” added a waiter. “They were drinking and dancing all night. It’s a party — the music festival is always a good time.”