The Prince and Princess of Wales showed rare PDA that signalled their support for each other amid a tricky start to their trip to Boston, a body language expert has said.
William and Kate’s three-day trip to Boston has been overshadowed by the growing race row engulfing the future King’s godmother which has left the monarchy accused of being institutionally racist.
After an official welcome to the city, William and Kate cheered on the Boston Celtics and were brought into the TD Garden stadium to sit courtside and watch the action.
They stood for the national anthem The Star Spangled Banner which was belted out by a semi-finalist of season 10 of reality tv series The Voice.
But later the royal couple were subject to small pockets of boos around the arena when they were introduced by a stadium announcer and shown on the big screen.
Pictures of the couple inside the area showed Kate at one point placing a hand on William's knee before they were seen clutching each other.
And according to body language expert Judi James, it appeared to be a "subliminal need for support".
She told the Mirror: "Kate and William’s show-stopping ‘touch and clutch’ gesture at the basketball might have defined them brand-wise as a close, romantic and rather sexy couple to people in the US.
"But to those of us back in the UK who know how rare this level of PDA is for the couple, there is a hint that the current crisis might have created a subliminal need for support and encouragement for William in particular.
"Kate has placed a hand on his thigh here and William has responded with a signal of endorsement by placing his hand over hers and clutching it in a way that hints at gratitude for the backup."
Meanwhile, Judi added that Kate tried to show her fun side during the event and the couple appeared to pretend not to hear any boos if they did catch them.
She added: "The couple arrived looking slick, modern and rather corporate, creating an even-status, a confident double act with their arms hanging at their sides and with their intensely mirrored body language showing like-minded thinking.
"At the basketball though Kate in particular looked keen to show her fun, relaxed and low-status side, dropping her regal elegance and sitting in various poses to look like a normal young woman enjoying the game.
"She and William used frequent bouts of eye contact and often sat and talked with their heads close, ramping up the romance.
"Kate laughed open-mouthed at seeing them on screen and if there were boos and the couple did hear them they seem to have tried to pretend they didn’t, with just those tactile moments suggesting a silent need for some mutual support."
Today, William and Kate are visiting Greentown Labs, a tech hub which has been nurturing climate pioneers for more than a decade.
Greentown is believed to be the largest climate technology start-up incubator in North America, having supported more than 500 companies, since founded in 2011, that have created more than 9,000 jobs and raised more than four billion dollars (£3.3b) in funding.
They will also tour Roca, a non-profit organisation focusing on young people at risk of becoming involved in urban violence.
The couple will meet with leaders of the organisation to learn about their intervention model and spend time with women in the young mothers’ programme, current members and alumni of the young men’s programme.
