Kate Middleton’s 2021 ‘Awkward and Weary’ Reaction to a Question Brought ‘Relief’ at Mention of Princess Lilibet—Body Language Expert
TL;DR:
- Kate Middleton looked “awkward and wary about being suddenly asked a question” at a 2021 event, according to a body language expert.
- “Tension” in her body language became a “gesture of relief” at the mention of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s daughter, Princess Lilibet.
- Kate Middleton made a potentially “difficult moment” a “happy-looking one.”
“Tension” in Kate Middleton’s body language disappeared at the mention of Princess Lilibet in 2021, according to an expert. How the Princess of Wales reacted to a question with “relief” when she realized it had to do with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s daughter.
Kate Middleton got a question about her niece shortly after Princess Lili’s birth in June 2021
During the G7 summit on June 11, 2021, Kate fielded an unexpected question about the newest royal family addition, Lilibet. Visiting Connor Downs Academy in Hayle, West Cornwall, England, she and first lady Dr. Jill Biden sat down for a roundtable discussion.
There Kate received a question about the now 1-year-old named after Queen Elizabeth II and her childhood nickname. Just days earlier on June 4, 2021, in California, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex welcomed Lili, making them a family of four along with Prince Archie, 3.
Asked about Lili’s arrival, Kate replied: “Oh, I wish her all the very best. I can’t wait to meet her because we haven’t yet, met her yet, so hopefully that will be soon,” (via Express).
As for whether she’d FaceTimed Lili, Katie replied: “No, I haven’t. No.”
Kate’s body language indicated a ‘sense of relief’ when asked about Princess Lilibet
Examining how Kate handled the question, body language expert Judi James noticed how she appeared “awkward and wary about being suddenly asked a question, but interestingly not that question.”
“Her body language implies a sense of relief once she hears she is being asked about the new royal baby,” James said. “She seems to be engrossed in the papers in front of her when her name is called. When she looks up, there is tension showing in her mouth shape just prior to the moment when she remembers to flash her signature pitch-perfect royal smile.”
Additionally, “there is still a licking of the lips at what appears to be the idea of an impromptu quizzing.” Although the expert also noted Kate’s body language became “relief and even delight when she hears Lilibet mentioned.”
“Kate leans back in what looks like a gesture of relief, teaming it with the kind of high-pitched ‘ah!’ that women often use when they talk about babies. She then comes forward again, keeping her comment based specifically on the baby.”
Kate’s response, particularly her word choice, personalized Lilibet “rather sweetly,” James explained. How exactly? “By referring to her directly rather than just as a baby.”
Kate Middleton’s reaction to being asked about Lilibet hinted at her ‘empathy’ as a mother
The Princess of Wales’ comments were indicative of how she is as a mother of three, James said. Her response, the expert shared, “suggests the kind of empathy that a mother of three might tend to have.”
Kate “claps her hands together” as a way to underscore “the idea of excitement at the prospect.” The hand gesture made the potentially “difficult moment, given what we now know was happening behind the scenes, into a happy-looking one.”
On May 6, Kate will see Harry at King Charles III’s coronation sans Lili or her big brother. The children are staying home in Montecito, California, with Meghan as Archie turns four.
Showbiz Cheat Sheet acknowledges conditions and cultures can impact body language and is sensitive to all backgrounds.
