Prince William and Princess Kate have been together for a long time. Despite some rather challenging periods, they have made it through, and today, the Prince and Princess of Wales seem to be doing great; raising their three children and taking their royal duties seriously.
Just like any couple, William and Kate have their differences. Sometimes, it’s good to take a break from each other, even if it’s just for a day, especially as they often spend a lot of time together during their working hours.
Days ago, Prince William traveled to Singapore for the Earthshot Prize Award. And according to a body language expert, he might not have missed his beloved wife too much.
A person can give away a lot about their feelings through their body language. And when it comes to William and Kate, it’s no different. In the last few years, we have seen many examples of how, according to these experts, their body language reflects their mood and relationship. For example, Kate Middleton has her own kind of signature move on William: A bum-pat.
Body language expert James explained that the Prince and Princess of Wales often show signs that they’re attentively listening to each other, often in the form of adding either touch or “truncated” touch.
Prince William & Princess Kate – body language
Kate has been seen doing her bum-pat gesture several times. It even happened on the red carpet for the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA), where Kate and William shared a cheeky moment as she patted his royal bottom.
However, there have been times when their body language and actions towards each other have been seen as very rude or a sign that their relationship isn’t at its best.
When the couple traveled to Jordan for the royal wedding between Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan and Rajwa Alseif, at one point, the wedding guests had a chance to greet the couple, sending them their best wishes for what is to come next. Cameras were all over the place, and they caught the moment when Prince William and Kate Middleton were to say hello to the bride.
Prince William went first, and after exchanging a few words, it was Kate’s turn to speak. Yet after a few moments, William felt it was time to move on. While she chatted with Princess Rajwa, appearing restless, William gestured towards Kate, encouraging her to move faster. Moreover, reports suggest the future king told her, “chop, chop.”
Of course, William wanted only for Kate to hurry along. But his words have left several royal experts criticizing his behavior towards his wife.
Speaking to the Express, body language expert Judy James didn’t like what she saw at all. She said it wasn’t one of William’s “finest moments when it comes to ether body language or words.”
“While he has clearly moved on from the meet and greet with the bride and groom, Kate stands talking to the bride in an animated and very friendly way,” James said. “She is not causing a ‘log jam’ [by] holding up the queue and the next guests are still talking to the groom, so there appears to be no logical reason for William to hurry his wife along, especially as she only adds a few seconds to the conversation.”
William branded “rude” after gesture towards Kate
Moreover, the body language expert said hand gestures were “bad enough.” She continued to congratulate Kate for ignoring William’s behavior. However, she added: “It has to be said that his behavior is overly dominant here, with his critical parent behavior putting her firmly in the implied role of naughty child.”
The prince was “rude,” James concluded.
“He could have walked back to stand beside his wife and used a subtle tie sign, like a small pat of the waist or back,” she suggested. “Most couples have subtle rituals that they use to communicate silently in public that don’t entail any obvious impatience, and the Waleses are normally very adept at these techniques.”
On an episode of the Podcast Royal, expert Rachel Burchfield said William was not disrespectful. However, she added that she could “sense Kate’s tension.”
“Husbands, do not do this, don’t do this. William told Kate to ‘chop chop’ as she spoke to the bride,” she said. “First of all, William, you were talking to the bride forever, dude, and then Kate gets up there, and she’s talking to her for like no time at all, and then he’s like chop, chop — no!”
“I know he wasn’t doing it to be disrespectful, I don’t think so,” she added. “But you can kind of sense Kate’s tension as they were walking off, or at least I could.”
Meanwhile, William and Kate seem deeply in love despite their differences in body language.
They’ve been known not to want to appear as “the perfect couple that everyone else should try and emulate” within the royal family.
“It’s not as perfect as it might seem”
Royal expert Tom Quinn says the Prince and Princess of Wales’ marriage is “not as perfect as it might seem.”
Speaking to Fox, the author of Gilded Youth: An Intimate History of Growing Up in the Royal Family explained that Prince William and Kate Middleton are just like every other couple and that they inevitably have days when they are “really, really cross with each other,” as well as days when they don’t even talk to each other.
Although they might seem to have everything in order, Tom Quinn argues that they, like all healthy marriages, have their differences. However, they know how to compromise and make everyday life work.
“From people I’ve spoken to, it’s not as placid. It’s not as perfect as it might seem,” Quinn told Express. “But William adopts the manners and the way of behaving of his grandmother, and Kate is very good at not complaining and adopting.”
The royal expert continued, “Both of them have stuck to the thing that made the late Queen such a remarkable monarch. They very, very rarely complain. And when they do, it’s always in measured terms.”
Quinn added that William and Kate also fight. However, while some couples “throw heavy vases at each other,” the Prince and Princess of Wales “throw cushions,” as it is “always kept under control.”
In an interview with Fox in March 2023, Quinn spoke more about Prince William and Kate’s marriage. While they have cute – and cheeky – nicknames for each other, it’s “not all sweetness.”
“Kate might seem to be a very calm person, and William also. But it’s not always true. Because the big stress for William and Kate is that they’re constantly surrounded by [palace aides]. It’s like a Jane Austen novel,” Tom Quinn claimed.
Prince William traveled to Singapore without Kate
“Kate is very much the calm one,” he added. “William is the one who’s a bit hotheaded. We see an example of that in Harry’s book… But Kate is very level-headed. She’s the one who will pour oil on troubled waters and go, ‘Let’s not stir things up.'”
Like in any relationship, sometimes it might be good to have some time for yourself. Whether it’s an hour or a day, it could be beneficial, as one gets to reflect on your own and take it easy.
Just days ago, William and Kate had the opportunity to do just that. On November 6, Prince William arrived in Singapore for the Eartshot Prize Award to support environmental innovators with solutions to battle climate change. Royal fans had gathered to spot the future king, who stopped to take selfies – and even signed autographs, according to AP.
“It’s fantastic to be back in Singapore for this year’s Earthshot Prize ceremony, after eleven years,” Prince William said in a statement after landing. “Singapore’s bold vision to be a leader for environmental innovation sets the standard for others to follow.”
“He has this charm,” Singaporean and royal fan Johanes Mario told AP. “He really fights for … the climate. I believe this is really a good cause for the future of our generation.”
The fact that he was signing autographs might come as a surprise, as it has been reported that royals can’t do it. A while back, Princess Kate said no when a young fan asked to sign a paper with her autograph. According to the Express, royals aren’t allowed to give signatures as they have an antifraud policy.
Kate stayed at home to support Prince George
Another time, King Charles was asked for a signature but allegedly responded, “Sorry, they don’t allow me to do that.”
Princess Kate did not join Prince William on the Singapore trip. Instead, she stayed home with their three children as Prince George studied for his ISEB multiple-choice exam covering verbal and nonverbal reasoning, mathematics, and English.
It is a critical test, as it is used as a “sub-selection process” for entrance into the top schools, such as Eton, which George has already visited with his parents.
“The grading or the testing is very competitive to get into Eton, it’s one of the most sought-after schools in the world, and it begins two years early, it’s like a sub-selection process,” historian Tessa Dunlop told OK! Magazine. “It’s also quite difficult if you weren’t royal, it’s very competitive, but I’m sure George will get in.”
She added, “I expect George is quite a bright young fella, but he’ll be being assessed and he’ll sit exams. George won’t need private tuition because that will be part of the package that they’ve paid for within Lambrook, within the private preparatory school.”
Prince William spent several days in Singapore before returning to the UK. In a speech, the Prince of Wales said Kate was “sad” not to be in Singapore with him.
However, a body language expert suggests William might not feel the same way.
Prince William “genuinely happy” without Kate by his side, expert says
Darren Stanton claims William looks “genuinely happy” without his wife by his side in Singapore, comparing him to Charles, who, on the other hand, “needs Queen Camilla by his side.”
“[William is confident enough to carry himself on his own, and he’s not at a loss when Kate isn’t there,” Stanton told Express. “When William and Kate are together, he often lets her take centre stage. However, you can tell he is genuinely happy to be at the event by himself. It’s a very authentic display from William.”
Moreover, the body language expert says William has shown signs of how he will “operate and evolve as King.”
“William and Harry both inherited self-reassurance gestures, including touching their shoulder, cufflinks or sticking their hand in their jacket, from their father, Stanton explained.
“We didn’t see any of these gestures during his first days in Singapore, which tells me that the prince has become much more confident in his engagements and himself as a person.”
If you enjoyed this article, perhaps you’d like to read about why Kate Middleton was left “heartbroken” over Prince William’s decision on George’s future.
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