King Charles and Queen Camilla shared a very rare kiss on the lips as they concluded their State Visit to the US on Thursday.
The royals, who celebrated their 21st wedding anniversary earlier this month, will now go their separate ways, as the King is continuing solo to Bermuda.
The subtle yet meaningful smooch was captured by ITV's Royal Family Channel on a livestream of their visit to a "block" street party in Virginia, to celebrate the 250th anniversary of US independence.
The couple was seen exchanging a brief smooch before getting into the car, surrounded by rapturous cheers and Union Jacks furiously being waved.
While they are not usually prone to displays of public affection, the King and Queen decided to make an exception as they will be parted for a few days, and thousands of miles apart.
It was the first opportunity Charles, 77, and Camilla, 78, had to meet members of the public during their four-day visit, with its formal protocol; as a result, they perhaps appeared slightly less guarded.
© WireImageA royal kiss
Royal family members typically avoid kisses in public, saving them for big occasions such as weddings.
However, Charles and Camilla avoided the traditional wedding day kiss, instead linking arms as they emerged from their civil ceremony at Windsor Guildhall in 2005.
© Chris Jackson / Getty ImagesThat's not to say that we've never seen them exchange a kiss in public. After confessing to an affair during his marriage to Princess Diana, Charles kept his relationship with Camilla largely private for years.
One of the first times we saw the couple showing affection was in 2001, when Camilla – who was a patron of the National Osteoporosis Society – welcomed Charles to an event at Somerset House with a kiss on the cheek.
They were also seen sharing a celebratory smooch in 2006 when the then-Prince Charles won a polo match at Cirencester.
Continuing to Bermuda
The King has now arrived in Bermuda for a three-day royal trip on the back of a memorable state visit to America.
© Getty ImagesCharles and Camilla were waved off from Washington by President Donald Trump, and a few hours later, the King touched down in Bermuda for a solo tour.
He landed on Thursday evening after Mr Trump announced he would remove tariffs from Scottish whisky, prompting Buckingham Palace to say the King would be toasting the President with a dram.
Trump said it was Charles and Camilla’s intervention that prompted the important decision.
