Prince William And Kate Middleton's Best Balcony Moments: Ranked

Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, have had some pretty interesting moments on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. Traditionally, members of the royal family make balcony appearances for Trooping the Colour, royal weddings, jubilees to mark the anniversary of a monarch's time on the throne, coronations, and other big, state occasions. Throughout the years, William and Catherine have shared many moments on the balcony, with Catherine taking the opportunity to show off some stunning looks. Their positions on the balcony have also shifted over the years, showing their proximity to the throne. 

With so many balcony moments in the past between William and Catherine, how could we not rank them? We classified these appearances based on a grouping of factors. One, the more dynamic the body language was between William and Catherine, the higher the ranking. Since our list has to do with William and Catherine as a couple, we're particularly interested in details that we can garner from their relationship during these public-facing moments. Also, the more historically significant the event was, or the more interesting details that the day offered, the higher the ranking. Other factors, like Catherine's battle with cancer, for example, have made certain balcony sightings more significant. Social media buzz amongst royal fans regarding specific balcony appearances also impacts our rankings. If the world found the moment significant, we've paid attention.

On June 11, 2016, the royal family gathered together for the Trooping the Colour, the yearly celebration of the monarch's birthday. Out of all of the balcony moments, it gathers the largest grouping of royals and always occurs on a Saturday in June. The idea is that the monarch examines his or her troops and then the royals travel by horse or carriage to Buckingham Palace, where they emerge together on the balcony.  

This particular Trooping the Colour was to celebrate the 90th birthday of Queen Elizabeth II. It was Princess Charlotte's first time at the occasion, and Catherine and William emerged with their new daughter, and 2-year-old Prince George. In a clip shared by ET, William crouched down to show George the action, and Queen Elizabeth didn't like this. "Stand up, William," she said, patting him on the shoulder. William quickly stood and faced forward.

While this may not have been William's favorite balcony appearance, we couldn't help but revel in the hilarity of it. Viewers on YouTube had a lot to say about the awkward interaction. "The queen is such a savage," one person wrote. "Not to old to be told off by Nanny," another commented.

On June 15, 2013, Princess Catherine appeared on the balcony alongside her husband and the rest of the royal family while she was pregnant with their first child, Prince George. The wee royal was born shortly after the public event, on July 22, 2013, so Catherine was very far along in her pregnancy while celebrating the monarch's birthday. Unsurprisingly, this event marked Catherine's last public appearance before giving birth, so it was a big day for her and William, who stood right on the precipice of parenthood. 

A young Prince Harry stood with his brother and sister-in-law, and the three looked like a happy grouping. In fact, Harry drove in the carriage with Catherine and Camilla, who was then the Duchess of Cornwall. Catherine and William certainly appeared close and friendly. Unfortunately for Catherine, she was suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum at the time, so it must have taken a toll to attend such a widely-watched event. 

Slightly higher on the ranking was the Trooping the Colour that Prince William and Princess Catherine attended in June 2011. Since William and Catherine married on April 29, 2011, it marked Catherine's first ever Trooping the Colour. She had previously been on the balcony only once — on her wedding day. Catherine kept things a bit bridal, sporting a white coat dress by Alexander McQueen with a black, netted hat Sylvia Fletcher for Lock & Co. The newlyweds were extremely chatty and affectionate throughout the event and were clearly excited to be there together. 

What was interesting about this particular Trooping the Colour was that Catherine and William were clearly much more marginal at this point in the royal family. This is evident based on their position on the balcony. They were to the far right of Queen Elizabeth II, with Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, holding more central spots, closer to the queen. It could be that at this point, since William and Catherine were newly married and didn't have children yet, that the queen was giving them time to solidify their life as a couple before putting the pressure of royal duties on them. However, this balcony moment was a tough act to follow after their wedding day balcony appearance.  

In June 2012, all of the royal youngsters walked out on the Buckingham Palace balcony to celebrate the birthday of Queen Elizabeth II. Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, stood close together but were situated in a larger grouping, including Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and Prince Harry. Looking back on it now, the royals all look so young, and they certainly seem to be more rambunctious than they are now as parents. While everyone seems happy, William and Catherine appear to be very locked into each other; they stood separately from the group and kept their focus on the other. 

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In other photos from this particular Trooping the Colour, viewers can see that Catherine stood directly to the left of the late Prince Philip, husband to the queen, and Catherine and Philip chatted amicably throughout the event. While it was only her second year as a royal in attendance at the Trooping the Colour, Catherine was clearly becoming a vital part of the firm. After all, a royal's placement during a balcony appearance is a very big deal. Traditionally, the monarch stands in the center of the group, and those next in line for the throne flank the sovereign. So Catherine's proximity to Philip, who was, of course, standing next to Queen Elizabeth II, shows that her status within the royal family was already growing.

At the June 14, 2014 Trooping the Colour, it was Prince Harry who got a spot closer to Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II. He stood between the monarch and Princess Catherine, followed by Prince William. But the couple didn't seem perturbed by the bump in placement; instead, William and Catherine looked as though they were having a marvelous time. What makes this particular Trooping the Colour so poignant was Harry's place within the firm. William and Catherine appeared delighted to share the spotlight with Harry, and Harry himself appears content in the midst of the family, eager to make everyone laugh. Even the queen's attention seemed to be diverted to her grandson. 

At this point in their lives, William and Catherine were already parents to young Prince George, who would have been just under a year old. Throughout the entirety of the event, the two were all laughs, and appeared blissed out in each other's company. 

The 2018 Trooping the Colour was an exciting time for Prince William and Princess Catherine, as Prince Harry was now a newlywed. That year, Meghan Markle made her first Trooping the Colour appearance. While it is tradition for newly married royals to make balcony appearances at Buckingham Palace, Harry and Meghan married at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle and thus didn't have the opportunity for a balcony kiss. While Harry and Meghan did not receive as prominent a position on the balcony during the Trooping the Colour, the sight of the two young couples offered so much hope around their new roles within the royal family as the younger squad who would pave a new, modernized vision for the royals. 

However, this balcony moment was much more tense behind the scenes, as we've found out later thanks to Harry's memoir, "Spare." He wrote that there was some growing frostiness between Meghan and Catherine. When the royal family went back inside Buckingham Palace after the event was over, Catherine asked Meghan what she thought of the event. Meghan joked, "Colourful." Harry said that Catherine didn't respond to the comment. "A yawning silence threatened to swallow us all whole," he wrote (via The Mirror). So while this particular Trooping the Colour in 2018 appeared affable, there was actually more strain growing between the two couples. 

The 2015 Trooping the Colour was a big moment for Prince William and Princess Catherine. The young couple presented their son, Prince George, the newest addition to the line of succession. William held George during his first-ever Trooping the Colour, and George, dressed in pale blue, took it all in stride. Catherine continued the theme of pale blue by wearing a coat dress by Catherine Walker, with a coordinating white hat. William, as ever, wore his red tunic uniform. 

The family's placement on the balcony in 2015 is significant, too. William and George stand right next to Queen Elizabeth II, even closer to the monarch than the then-Prince Charles, and Camilla. Catherine's place on the balcony is interesting, too, as she stood right behind the queen, solidifying her place as a key part of the royals. However, it's worth nothing that Catherine was still eclipsed by the queen, showing that as of 2015, she still hadn't received an independent place of power and was still considered one of the newer members of the family. But the young parents were clearly given a lot of attention in 2015, as it was a big moment for baby George. The little lad even gave a small wave, which has had people melting on social media since the moment happened. "The little wave before he went back inside," one TikTok user commented. Pretty cute. 

The 2019 Trooping the Colour was a big one for the Prince and Princess of Wales. Prince Louis made his first ever appearance at Trooping the Colour that year, along with big siblings Princess Charlotte and Prince George. The balcony was packed that year with various members of the royal family, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who had just given birth to their first child, Archie. While there were a lot of royals to account for, it was William and Catherine's young family who stole the show. 

Little Louis was a demanding character, jumping from his mother's arms to his father's arms as the event rolled along. On YouTube, viewers were highly entertained by all of his antics. "Ok...I've never seen a royal baby who loves to wave, & clap, as much as little Prince Louis. What a cool little guy," one viewer commented. A lot of the joy around Louis centered on William and Catherine, and people praised them as parents. "Louis ... was putting his hands out for his father William to carry him, so sweet. Kate and William are bringing their children up in a close and loving family," one wrote. 

Princess Catherine and Prince William were two peas in a pod at the 2017 Trooping the Colour. While it's long established now that the two lovebirds mirror each other's body language, this adorable patterning started to become very evident around 2017. At the Trooping the Colour that year, William and Catherine were like synchronized swimmers. They both tilted their heads in the same direction to watch the Royal Air Force fly over Buckingham Palace, both maintaining the same degree of smiles that showed a similar amount of teeth.

Body language expert Tonya Reiman told Brides that mirroring the body language of your partner shows a deep, connected relationship. "For an established relationship, mirroring is something that happens naturally," Reiman said, and later added that when two individuals are matching each other's postures, gaits, and expressions, it releases love chemicals and enhances the bond between the two people. 

Catherine's outfit choice was also significant at the 2017 event. She wore a vivid, pink dress by Alexander McQueen with a tonal fascinator by Jane Taylor. In previous years, Catherine opted for muted tones at the Trooping the Colour. She wore greys, pale blues, and light pinks, no doubt to keep the focus on Queen Elizabeth. However, this year, her outfit stood out, showing her increasing comfort with being a key player within the royal family. 

Prince Louis has firmly established himself as a real character amongst the royal children, and it was extremely evident during the 2022 Trooping the Colour. Rather than appearing stressed about young Louis' antics, both Prince William and Princess Catherine responded to his rambunctiousness with affection. The youngest royal was 4 years old at this event, and made faces and covered his ears when the planes flew over. There was no filter, and everyone was very entertained.

The two parents smiled warmly at their youngest, and didn't seem to make attempts to stifle his energetic spirit. We love this glimpse of parenting between Catherine and William, because it signifies their unified front as they raise their children. Louis' playfulness on Buckingham Palace's balcony doesn't seem to create conflict between William and Catherine, which shows that they're on the same page when it comes to rearing their brood, and we love witnessing that intertwined spirit between them. 

The whole family — save William, who wore his red tunic uniform — coordinated their outfits, with everyone wearing blues and whites. Catherine sported a white blazer and skirt by Alexander McQueen, with a matching blue and white hat by milliner Philip Treacy. Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Louis all wore white and blue, giving a charming nautical effect to the family's ensembles. More than that, it showed unity amongst the household. 

At the 2023 Trooping the Colour, we saw a slimmed down royal family emerge on Buckingham Palace's balcony. Since Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022, this particular Trooping the Colour was the first celebration of the sovereign's birthday that honored King Charles III. The king opted for fewer family members, and at that year's event, only 14 royals appeared on the balcony at Buckingham Palace. For reference, in 2019, when the queen was still alive, there had been 44 family members on the balcony. Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, were clearly considered some of the most vital players within that power structure. The two stood together calmly, with a keen sense of their roles and duties as a married couple and as parents continuing the line of succession. 

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were not in attendance, and many felt that their previous presence at Trooping the Colour events from years past marked the beginning of the end for Catherine and Meghan's relationship. Shortly before, Netflix had released the docuseries "Harry & Megan," in which the couple, no longer senior working royals, shared stories of their unhappiness within the royal family. No doubt the small, solidified front at Charles' first Trooping the Colour was to create the effect of a strong core around the monarchy. William and Catherine stood at the king's right hand side as vital members of the monarchy's future. 

The Prince and Princess of Wales, had a key role at the coronation ceremony of King Charles III on May 6, 2023. The historic event took place at Westminster Abbey in London, and William and Catherine arrived wearing robes and mantles to reference their titles. Catherine wore the blue Royal Victorian Order mantle because she's a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order. William wore a darker robe for his title as the Colonel of the Welsh Guard. Since Charles had requested that none of the women wear tiaras, Catherine wore a crystal headpiece made as a collaboration between the milliner Jess Collett and Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen. 

While their coronation outfits were fascinating to the world, it was William and Catherine's bonded dynamic that day that had the world focused. Their mirrored body language was so evident that on TikTok, fans were calling them soulmates. "They're just on the same wave length," one fan began. "They both understand and accept their role in the monarchy. They're perfect together!" Another person wrote, "Two people born to be together and born to lead. Can't wait to see them as king and queen." 

The Trooping the Colour 2024 ranks so high on our list because of what a major moment it was for the world. Earlier that year, Princess Catherine revealed that she was undergoing treatment for cancer, and had stepped away from the limelight. Her absence from the public sparked no end of rumors and chaos, as people wondered where she had gone. Many believed that Catherine wouldn't attend that year's Trooping the Colour, so it was a massive shock when the princess arrived. Her return, in a white Jenny Packham dress that was loaded with symbolism, was a huge moment for fans of the royal family. It was the first time that she had been seen by the public that year. Even after Catherine appeared at the Trooping the Colour that year, there were still bizarre conspiracy theories! 

Some of the rumors that had circulated speculated that she and Prince William were experiencing marital strife. The two of them on Buckingham Palace's balcony shut all of that speculation down. The couple appeared happy and, frankly, really in love. They smiled warmly at each other and spoke amongst themselves, and stole glances at each other throughout the event.

By far, the sweetest and most memorable balcony appearance between Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales, was on their wedding day. The two emerged on April 29, 2011, as fresh-faced lovers, pointing to a strong, unified future for the royal family. The long anticipated nuptials came at last, after nearly ten years of dating. Catherine and William broke with royal tradition by kissing each other twice. By looking back at videos of the day, The Mirror shared what William said to Catherine on the balcony. "Go on, a little kiss, go on," he said, and they kissed. Right before their second kiss, he said, "Let's give them another one. I love you. One more kiss, one more kiss. OK?" 

Chronologically, this is their first appearance together on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, but we saved it for last because it's best. It sparked the beginning of their life together. From this day would follow parenthood, as they welcomed their three children. There would be grief, with the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, and subsequent changes in titles as the two became the Prince and Princess of Wales. There may yet be further transformations for them, as they ready themselves for future roles within the royal family; by all accounts, they have stood the test of time, and have navigated the changing world of working royals and public figures with grace and a connectedness that had made everything else fall into place.