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Britain’s royal family has had a rough year so far with both King Charles and the Princess of Wales (formerly known as Kate Middleton) revealing they have cancer and are undergoing treatment.

One senior royal who really had to step up in their absence from royal duties is Prince William. While he was all business for months attending engagements and fielding questions about his wife and father’s health, the Prince of Wales has been seen letting loose recently and showing some “raw emotion” in public, which an expert says has made him more “relatable.”

Prince William expressed ‘excitement’ and ‘fear’ as he watched event from the stands

A video went viral in June of Prince William dancing his heart out at Taylor Swift’s concert. Now, footage of William attending another event and enjoying himself, as well as experiencing a bit of “fear” at times, is making the rounds.

Prince William in the stands during the UEFA EURO 2024 quarter-final match between England and Switzerland
Prince William in the stands during the UEFA EURO 2024 quarter-final match between England and Switzerland | ANP via Getty Images

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 footage of Prince William as he watched the UEFA EURO 2024 quarter-final match between England and Switzerland on July 6. According to the expert, the prince’s up-and-down emotions show that he really is just like the rest of us.

Speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino, Stanton said: “It’s no secret that Prince William is highly competitive and his emotions were captured perfectly throughout watching the Euros match. When we saw him cheering away in the crowd, it showed a lot of people that he is just like any other football fan in the stadium. It was his time to enjoy himself.

“When England were doing well during the match, William was beaming with excitement. He was punching the air with his fist clenched and overcome with happiness. He felt a huge sense of pride. During the more tense moments of the game, he had his hands on his face, as he displayed emotions of fear and was actively preparing himself for potential disappointment and loss. When we see him touching his face, a reassuring gesture, with his mouth wide open, this suggests William was feeling nervous — but had the ability to be open and honest with every emotion he felt.” 

Prince William celebrates the goal of Bukayo Saka of England during the UEFA EURO 2024 quarter-final match
Prince William celebrates the goal of Bukayo Saka of England during the UEFA EURO 2024 quarter-final match | Jean Catuffe/Getty Images

Expert says the prince showed ‘reliability’ with his ‘raw emotion’

Stanton added that given all that’s been going on in the Prince of Wales’ life the last few months, it was great to see him showing such “raw emotion” instead of trying to “tone down his true feelings.”

“We saw William in a much more relaxed manner than ever before,” Stanton noted before adding, “During many of his engagements as the Prince of Wales, William shows feelings of happiness when necessary but still displays a professional manner. Normally, William would show a few smiles and walk with a stride in his step to show genuine contentment — but this time, he went a step further.

Prince William jumps up and celebrates after Bukayo Saka's goal for England in UEFA EURO 2024 quarter-final match
Prince William jumps up and celebrates after Bukayo Saka’s goal for England in UEFA EURO 2024 quarter-final match | Jean Catuffe/Getty Images

“It was great to see a very expressive side to the prince. Chanting with the crowd, punching the air with his fist, and displaying huge grins were all examples of William expressing raw emotion. He didn’t hold back or hesitate with any emotion he was feeling. This reveals the confidence he has to let go in certain situations. To see such honesty and raw emotion from William was rare.”

The expert concluded: “If this was a royal visit, William would have toned these emotions down. This shows he wanted to portray himself in a relatable, trustworthy, and honest manner. For him to show pride and joy as well as high levels of frustration and fear only highlights William’s authenticity and the ability to be open with how he’s feeling.” 

Showbiz Cheat Sheet acknowledges conditions and cultures can impact body language and is sensitive to all backgrounds.