New Photos Show Kate Middleton and Prince William Sharing Intimate Moments at the Earthshot Prize

Prince William and Kate Middleton hosted the much-talked-about Earthshot Prize (opens in new tab) in London this past weekend, awarding funds to five winners who are working to fight the climate crisis.

Guests were asked to "consider the environment" when picking their outfits, so we saw Middleton rewear her lilac gown (opens in new tab) from the 2011 BAFTAs, and her husband sport a dark green velvet suit (not to mention Emma Watson in upcycled wedding dresses (opens in new tab)), but as is inherent in big public-facing events, we didn't really get to see what the atmosphere was like that night from the posed photos alone.

Enter: a series of three gorgeous candid black and white photos shot by Getty royal photographer Chris Jackson (opens in new tab) and released on Oct. 20. The photos beautifully capture the mood of the evening, and show the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (opens in new tab) sharing intimate moments that look absolutely full of love.

Here is the duke looking back at his grinning wife:

And here is the duchess tenderly placing a hand on her husband's back as they gaze at each other:

The third photo shows Prince William looking pensive backstage:

The royal couple shared the photos on Instagram (opens in new tab), with the caption, "Behind the scenes at the first ever @EarthshotPrize Awards." They credited "@chrisjacksongetty for The Royal Foundation."

Royal fans were as in awe of the photos as you'd expect. "Like a scene from a fairytale," someone commented. "How lovely to see genuine love and affection," observed someone else. This is truly heartwarming stuff, folks.