This Person Has ‘Changed King Charles for the Better’ Amid Challenging Times
It’s no secret that King Charles has had some challenges over the last few years. He’s had to deal with Prince Harry airing out the royal family’s dirty laundry in interviews, a Netflix docuseries, and the duke’s memoir Spare. The king has also had to face a few anti-monarchy protesters and a heckler or two showing up at his engagements. And in February 2024, he shared that he had been diagnosed with cancer and needed to receive treatment.
He’s also gone through a major shift since becoming the monarch in which he has been able to interact much better with the public than he has in the past and an expert says there is one person in his life who has helped him achieve that. Read on to find out who that is.
Expert points out that King Charles acted a lot differently when he was the Prince of Wales
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.” Over the years he has been called upon to analyze the actions of several members of the royal family including the king.
Speaking on behalf of Betfair Slots, Stanton explained: “Charles used to keep himself to himself. When the then-Prince Charles attended events, he was always quite reticent towards the public. Although he’s always been quite popular, he never used to make a beeline towards the crowds behind the barrier. As the years have gone by, Charles has evolved quite a lot and become more and more confident.
“In the earlier stages of his life, he was never that confident. If you look back to his engagement interviews with the late Princess Diana in the 80s, he was quite a nervous man and made this clear through his gestures.”
Stanton continued: “Charles’ confidence exudes through his body language, as we don’t see pacifying gestures such as his hands in his pockets, playing with his cufflinks, or aversion of eye contact, which are all signs of introversion. When he’s walking around, his hands are by his side rather than being tucked away. His eye contact is very good, and he maintains it for a normal amount of time, which helps build trust and rapport quickly.”
The expert added: “I think the other key thing which shows how his confidence has developed is his sense of humor, which he is now able to demonstrate. He’s developed in his interactions with dignitaries, celebrities, and the general public. He’s much happier to talk and ask questions and seems genuinely interested. He clearly doesn’t take himself too seriously, which is great.”
The royal who changed King Charles ‘for the better’
So who’s to credit for the change in Charles?
According to Stanton, “[Queen] Camilla has been a catalyst for change. When he attends an event with Camilla, you can see him looking for her and he appears tense when she’s not around. Often she will touch him on the arm or the flat of the back as a reassuring gesture. She is very important and has really helped him develop confidence.
“Charles has become a lot more tactile and just recently, we saw someone ask for a hug and he obliged, he was happy to do that. His interactions are really growing. He loves to connect and be present and accessible. His willingness and easiness to shake hands and hug people, look them in the eye, match and mirror body language shows growth, he has much less distance.”
Stanton concluded: “Charles was brought up with stiff royal protocol but Camilla has changed Charles for the better. She is from an affluent background but with less rules and regulations. She’s shown Charles he can loosen up and be more loving. I think Camilla has made Charles feel confident to be the king he wants to be and do things his way.”
Showbiz Cheat Sheet acknowledges conditions and cultures can impact body language and is sensitive to all backgrounds.
