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The duchess just wasn’t having it.

Kate Middleton and her husband Prince William appeared on a BBC special that aired Monday night titled “A Berry Royal Christmas” where they cooked festive dishes alongside “British Bake Off” star Mary Berry while introducing viewers to their beloved charitable organizations.

The special ended with a Christmas party, which was catered by Berry, 84, as well as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Near the end of the show, the couple sat down with a group of volunteers when William, 37, attempted to gently place his hand on Middleton’s shoulder.

However, the duchess, who also is 37, immediately shrugged off her husband’s rare public display of affection while maintaining a smile on her face.

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The awkward moment was immediately captured by stunned viewers,

“What just happened here???? Ouch!” tweeted one viewer.

“Kate is so professional that she won’t touch or allow herself to be touched by her husband while working,” chimed another. "Except for all the times she did in the past… I wonder what changed?”

“Awkward! Too awkward!!” tweeted another. “They should have cut it out!”

“She moved with a quickness,” added one viewer.

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Britain's Prince William and his wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, arrive for a Heads Together event to celebrate World Mental Health Day, at County Hall in London, Britain October 10, 2016. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth  - D1AEUGDXTAAA

Prince William and his wife, Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton. (Reuters)

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Myka Meier, a British-American etiquette expert trained by a former member of Queen Elizabeth II’s household, previously told Elle Magazine that the lack of affection between the two shouldn’t surprise royal watchers.

“I always think the important thing to remember is that people forget that they’re working royals,” she explained. “It’s up to each and every royal and royal couple about how affectionate they are.

“There’s no protocol that tells them they can’t hug or kiss or touch,” she continued. “There’s no rule book like that. Each senior member of the royal family is trusted to make the judgment calls of what’s appropriate and when. It’s all about being trusted to make those calls on their own.”

Meier also pointed Middleton and William are more affectionate at casual events.

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Kate Middleton and Prince William pose for a photo with their three children, George, right, Charlotte, middle, and Louis.

Kate Middleton and Prince William pose for a photo with their three children, George, right, Charlotte, middle, and Louis. (AP)

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“If you’re going to a sporting event you’re going to be much more jovial,” she said. “And with [William and Kate], we’ve even seen them kissing or hugging. We saw them hugging at [the Olympics]. But then as they go to a much more serious event, as if to commemorate a battle, they’re very solemn.”

It was in the same special where Middleton told Berry that William likes to cook for their family at home.

“He sometimes does, actually,” she explained, as reported by People magazine. “He’s very good at breakfast. In our university days, he used to cook all sorts of meals. I think that’s when he was trying to impress me, Mary. Things like Bolognese sauce and things like that.”

The royal pair tied the knot in 2011 and share three children: Prince George, 6, Princess Charlotte, 4, and Prince Louis, 1.