Prince William and Princess Kate’s Valentine’s post signals a major change to their social media approach

The Prince and Princess of Wales are the most talked-about couple in the world. And following Princess Kate's return to duty after her cancer recovery and Prince William's role elevation as future King, the royal couple has been front and centre.

It is their relationship that has undoubtedly been making the most headlines, with experts noting a positive change in Princess Kate and Prince William's marriage over the past year.

In fact, after navigating the "toughest year of their lives together", royal experts believe that the Prince and Princess of Wales are stronger than ever.

This can even be seen from their public appearances and social media activity, with the royal couple appearing to relax their rules around public displays of affection. And while they previously maintained a formal outward-facing image, they are now allowing themselves to share romantic snaps and loving words about each other.

This was no exception this week, with Friday 14th marking Valentine's Day. And in a sweet and unprecedented move, they posted a loved up photograph of themselves on a picnic blanket to Instagram, captioned with a red love heart emoji.

"What a beautiful, natural image," posted one follower. "Absolutely magical and thank you so much for sharing this with us. Happy Valentines to you both."

Another comment read: "Such a beautiful picture! One of my all time favorites of you two 😍😍😍 happy Valentine's Day! I absolutely love your love for each other."

Their Valentine's post comes after a series of similarly open social media uploads from the couple, with Prince William sharing an emotional post on Princess Kate's 43rd birthday last month.

"To the most incredible wife and mother," read Prince William's personal tribute, going on to rake in over 1 million likes. "The strength you’ve shown over the last year has been remarkable. George, Charlotte, Louis and I are so proud of you. Happy Birthday, Catherine. We love you. W."

The royal couple has been praised for their social media change, with the Prince and Princess beloved for their relatability. And according to royal experts, the move to make their social media more informal is a strategic one.

"Essentially, William and Kate’s former regimen of stiff posed pictures, have been supplanted by something far more subversive and quietly radical," royal expert Daniele Elser explained of their change in approach years ago. "Don’t be fooled. This isn’t an accident or some clumsy, grasping ploy to appeal to a more youthful demographic.

"William and Kate’s social media transformation is emblematic of a far more significant intellectual shift in their journey towards the throne. Basically, this is them positioning themselves to rule - and rule in a way that will change the crown forever."

We will continue to update this story.