It only took Duchess Catherine and Prince William three days to make a lasting impression during their whirlwind tour of Ireland – and there was one particular moment that stood out above the rest.
Visiting their neighbouring country in March, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were in their element as they visited a number of locations in the North Atlantic country.
Of course, hundreds upon hundreds of photos were taken of the pair during their short stay, but there’s one that has stopped the masses in their tracks – and you don’t have to look far to see why.
On the second day of the royal tour, Kate and William took a surprise break in the afternoon by sharing a romantic walk around Howth Cliff.
Cameras at the bottom of the hill captured the couple walking arm-in-arm up the track, and managed to get some sweet snaps of them as they went in and out of view.
The couple looked more in love than ever as they were spotted cuddling up at various points.
But it was one such snap with their backs turned and their arms around each other that really melted our hearts, because shortly afterwards, we found out exactly what was happening in front of them.
In the touching hilltop snap, it appears the couple were posing for another beautiful candid photo taken by a Palace official.
And how do we know this, you ask? Only because we had the glorious pleasure of seeing the original picture on Instagram – and it’s every bit as lovely as you’d expect.
The Palace wrote a message on behalf of the Duke and Duchess alongside the image, stating: “Thank you to all the wonderful people we met in Ireland!”
Sharing a second picture of some of the fan mail the pair had received during their tour, the Palace added: “Thank you to everyone that took the time to write to The Duke and Duchess.”
Suffice to say fans went nuts over the candid new picture.
The comments section was flooded with praise from followers, with one writing: “Gorgeous, natural picture.”
Another said: “Oh my gosh!! I’ve been waiting for this photo.”
Meanwhile, one Irish fan voiced their excitement in seeing the couple enjoying the country: “So sweet. The first picture is beautiful. Thank you for coming. I hope you come back very soon. We loved having you here.”
Royal blogger @teatimewiththecambridges also shared some of the pictures from the walk to Instagram, writing: “I was waiting for this photo and I’m so in love with it! 😭😍 So happy @kensingtonroyal decided to share with us!”.
Fans of the blog agreed, with one noting how special the rare reveal from the Palace was: “Love it when they share strong photos like this one or the one when they stepped out the plane in Pakistan. Iconic.”
We’re also in strong agreeance – the couple’s official Instagram account is a haven for behind-the-scenes insights into the royal couple’s lives.
Long may it continue!
WATCH: Kate Middleton wears a gorgeous vintage Oscar de la Renta gown during Irish reception: