Why Kate Middleton Once Made a Public Apology to Prince William — with a Smile on Her Face

An adorable moment from the Prince and Princess of Wales’ past recently resurfaced on TikTok

Kate Middleton and Prince William in April 2014.Credit : Fiona Goodall-Pool/Getty

A sweet moment between Kate Middleton and Prince William is making the rounds online, over a decade after it happened.

In April 2014, the Prince and Princess of Wales — then known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge — made an official royal visit to Australia and New Zealand. While in New Zealand, the couple visited Auckland Harbor, where they faced off in a boat race.

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Each royal captained an Emirates Team New Zealand America’s Cup yacht for the race at the Viaduct Basin, and Kate came out on top — not once, but twice.

Kate Middleton shrugs after winning a yacht race against husband Prince William in Auckland, New Zealand, on April 11, 2014.Cre: Chris Jackson/Getty

The viral TikTok clip, viewed over 1.8 million times, shows the pair reuniting after the race. Kate says, “I’m sorry,” to her second-place husband, but she couldn’t hide the massive grin on her face.

Sky News reported at the time that Prince William joked about being “sabotaged.” When told Kate looked happy about her victory, he quipped, “I bet she is. Selfless husband. I wanted a quiet night.”

The 2014 trip was William and Kate’s first official overseas visit following the birth of their first child, Prince George, on July 22, 2013. Then less than nine months old, George mostly stayed with his nanny while the Duke and Duchess embarked on their daily excursions.

However, royal fans were thrilled with photos of the chubby-cheeked infant getting on and off the airplanes with his parents.

Kate Middleton, Prince William and Prince George board a plane at Wellington airport on April 16, 2014.Hagen Hopkins/Getty

Kate recently said that George, now 12, finds it “fascinating” that he’s been to Australia and New Zealand, though he has no memory of the trips.

“I would like to go back there with them now,” Kate said of George and his siblings, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, during her St. Patrick’s Day visit to the Wellington Barracks in March. “It’s finding time to do that.”

Many international trips for William and Kate, both 43, come with royal obligations. However, the princess said that they always try to find a way to work in family time.

“We tend to go further afield when it’s official visits, it’s being able to carve out time to experience these countries in a more private capacity,” she explained. “Otherwise, you end up seeing lots of insides of amazing buildings, but you don’t get to meet that many people.”

“It’s making sure that you can combine a bit of work with the children,” Kate added.

However, this year could mark a change in royal travel for the Prince and Princess of Wales’ family. Prince George turned 12 on July 22, which could potentially trigger a protocol in which he is no longer allowed to travel with his father.

In the past, direct heirs to the British throne traveled separately to secure the future of the monarchy in the event of a tragic accident. For Prince William, this change happened at age 12, though he and Kate have not yet made any official announcements as to how Prince George may be affected.

If tradition continues with the new generation, Prince William and Prince George could need the permission of King Charles in order to fly together.