Awkward Moment Occurs Just Before ‘Nervous’ King Charles’ Speech as ‘He Felt Pressure’
All eyes were on King Charles and Queen Camilla (formerly Camilla Parker Bowles) during the State Opening of Parliament in London on July 17. The monarch presided over the state opening and delivered a speech announcing the new Labour government’s laws, but the day didn’t go without a few hiccups.
There were some anti-monarchist protesters from the group Republic assembled on Parliament Street as the king and queen arrived. And inside the House of Lords Chamber, there was a brief interruption before Charles spoke a word because of what one person forgot to do. Here’s more on that and why an expert could tell the king was “nervous” to give his speech and “feeling pressure.”
Awkward moment as silence was interrupted when King Charles sat down
The awkward moment happened as the monarch took his seat on the golden throne while wearing the Robe of State and the diamond-encrusted Imperial State Crown. The Mirror noted that after King Charles and his wife made their way to The Sovereign’s Throne and just before things got underway, the House of Lords was completely silent; that is until someone’s cell phone started ringing.
A cell phone going off in a silent room is something we’ve all heard before as it doesn’t go unnoticed. So when it happened in the Palace of Westminster, viewers at home took to X and talked about it.
“Mobile phone going off as King Charles is seated on his throne in his robes in the House of Lords. Very 21st century Britain,” one person commented while another added: “Someone’s mobile phone going off in the Lords before King Charles starts speaking. Bl***y kids can’t keep off their devices for 2 minutes!” And a third joked: “Oops. Mobile phone went off during state opening of Parliament. I think that’s treason.”
Body language expert says the king was ‘nervous’ and ‘shaking’ during the speech
Darren Stanton is a body language and behavioral expert with a degree in psychology. He previously worked as a police officer and used his expertise to uncover the truth when interviewing hundreds of suspects. He later moved into media and TV as a consultant and has been dubbed the “Human Lie Detector.” Now, Stanton has analyzed King Charles’ demeanor before and during his speech at the State Opening of Parliament.
Speaking on behalf of Betfair Slingo, Stanton said: “Charles seemed to be a lot more serious and reserved than Camilla was. He had his arms by his side, with his head above his shoulders and walked with high levels of importance. He didn’t look around. He simply looked straight ahead. This tells us he didn’t want to feel distracted by anything. Charles was feeling the pressure. We know this as he was very careful with his body language and seemed to be feeling conscious of people watching him.
“Charles went on to display a combination of nervousness and enthusiasm. When Charles was reading his speech, we did see his hands shaking and the papers moving around a lot – a visible sign of him feeling uncomfortable. We also saw that his breathing was faster than normal, with his shoulders moving up and down quite noticeably. This suggests more signs of Charles experiencing adrenaline and nervousness. He went on to use reassurance signals, such as biting his lip every time he took a breath.”
Stanton concluded: “Once settled and adjusted, his eye contact became more controlled and engaged with consistency. While he did appear nervous at some points, there’s nothing to suggest Charles wasn’t feeling confident. His voice was fairly stoic and consistent. He carried himself with great gravitas and solemnity.”
Showbiz Cheat Sheet acknowledges conditions and cultures can impact body language and is sensitive to all backgrounds.
