Prince William appears emotional at Taj Mahal + Why he refrains to show PDA with Kate Middleton

Prince William appeared emotional during his visit to Taj Mahal with wife Kate Middleton. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also refrained from holding hands during their tour, and there’s a good reason for that.

On Saturday, the royal couple paid a visit to the Indian heritage site, posing for photos at the same bench William’s mother, Princess Diana, once sat on in 1992. William, 33, appeared emotional as he retraced his mother’s footsteps. He was seen wiping away tears as they were about to leave the site.

Diana visited Taj Mahal alone in 1992, without Prince Charles. She had told reporters then that she found the experience “very healing.” And when the reporters asked her for explanation, the mother of two replied, “Work it out for yourself.” Her separation from Charles was announced later the same year.

Unlike his mother, however, William wasn’t alone in his Indian journey. Kate was with him all the way. And by the looks of it, they are very much in love. A royal source told Hello magazine that the couple wanted to come to the Taj as a way to promote one of India’s greatest sights.

“The Duke is complete aware of the history of this place with his family and he appreciates that lot of people who come here have his mother in mind. But this is about the future for them, it’s about looking forward and creating new memories,” the source said.

Why William and Catherine don’t show PDA

Prince George and Princess Charlotte’s parents may have been seen showing affections toward each other on few occasions, but when they are on an official engagement, they refrain from even holding hands. According to royal etiquette expert Myka Meier, William and Kate have good reason not to engage in public display of affection.

“There is no etiquette or royal protocol that says the couple must refrain from PDA,” the founder of Beaumont Etiquette explained to People why there were rare times when William and Kate were spotted hugging or being demonstrative with their love.

“The likely reasoning is more that while travelling 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.”

Case in point, most of William and Kate’s photos in India and Bhutan see them just standing side by side with their hands neatly folded in the front of their body.

Nevertheless, when they are not posing for official photographs, or if they are attending laidback events, the couple are not afraid to show off their love for each other. When William and Kate were walking up the mountain to the Tiger’s Nest monastery in Bhutan on Friday, they let go of their conservative postures and leaned on each other.