Kate Middleton's 'Hokey Pokey' Dance Moment Becomes Viral Hit: 'Adorable'

Kate Middleton's unexpected dance moment on a recent U.K. royal engagement has gone viral on social media, with royal fans praising the princess as a "sweetheart."

Kate joined in with a spontaneous round of the "Hokey Pokey" during a visit to community center in Falmouth, Cornwall with Prince William earlier this month. It marked the couple's first visit to the English county since becoming Duke and Duchess of Cornwall after the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September.

Kate is now a duchess three times over, in addition to being Princess of Wales: The Duchess of Cornwall, the Duchess of Rothesay and the Duchess of Cambridge.

The royal displayed her "Hokey Pokey" skills while meeting members of the local community at the Dracaena Centre. The charity provides family and youth support and children's activities.

The clip of the light-hearted dance moment has gone viral on YouTube after being uploaded by the account royalchannel. The video has been viewed over 270,000 times and has received more than 7,000 likes and 200 comments.

A number of royal fans have praised the princess for taking part, with one commenting: "She is so sweet and humble. She is so focused on the children, and that shows you where her heart is. I'm an American, and I love her!!!"

"She's fantastic. Authentic and Classy," posted another, with a further user writing: "Adorable! We sing it quite differently in the States. I would have been lost."

The differences between the U.S. and U.K. versions of the popular song were pointed out by a number of commenters.

Though the song is known as the "Hokey Pokey" in the U.S., it is called the "Hokey Cokey" on the other side of the Atlantic. Which version of the song and dance came first are not exactly unknown, though both are said to have their origins in 19th-century British folk dance.

Kate has gone viral for her dance moves before. In March 2022, the royal took part in a traditional Garifuna festival with Prince William while visiting the Central American country of Belize, on a Caribbean tour.

Both the prince and princess got into the swing of the event, with William's moves also being widely shared on social media.

Another European royal who has recently gone viral for her dance moves at official engagements is Queen Máxima of the Netherlands. Her numerous dance moments during a tour of the Dutch Caribbean islands this February were widely shared and praised online.

William and Kate's visit to Cornwall comes as the couple prepare for one of the busiest royal years to date. The couple will make appearances at a number of high-profile events, including the coronation celebrations of King Charles III in May.

As well as the coronation, the royals will take part in Charles' first Trooping the Colour parade, the annual celebration of the sovereign's official birthday. William and Kate are also expected to make their regular appearances at Wimbledon tennis tournament in London; Royal Ascot horse-racing in Berkshire, England; and Garter Day at Windsor Castle, in the same county.

James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter based in London. You can find him on Twitter at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.

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