Prince William’s Very Different Body Language at Trooping the Colour, According to an Expert
It was all about “confidence” for Prince William at Trooping the Colour. Analyzing the Prince of Wales’ body language at the British royal family’s celebration, an expert saw only confidence—with protectiveness—from the 42-year-old.
William made Trooping the Colour look easy with ‘confident’ body language
To quote Legally Blonde’s Elle Woods, “What, like it’s hard?” That seems to be the attitude William exuded at Trooping the Colour amid Kate Middleton’s appearance. He navigated King Charles III’s birthday parade in London, England, on June 15, 2024, with ease, according to body language expert Darren Stanton.
“I think with William, we can see how much he has evolved over the years,” Stanton said, speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino. “He is extremely confident now and assured in his Royal role.” So much so “that it seems effortless from him now during these sort of engagements.”
The days of nerves leading to a body language tell are, apparently, over for the royal father of three. “We see no signs of uneasiness or anxiety or William demonstrating self-reassurance or pacifying gestures.” Think “hands in pockets or fiddling with buttons.”
William’s Trooping body language stood out in “a stark contrast to how we’ve previously seen William in his younger years when he first started taking on more duties. His body posture is strong, and he stands with purpose.”
William stood tall in ‘protective’ mode with Kate Middleton, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis
Trooping the Colour was a big day for the Wales family. It marked their first public family outing since Christmas Day, 2023, when the Prince and Princess of Wales, along with their three children, Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, walked to church.
Being Kate’s first public appearance since being diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer, it’s not necessarily a surprise the expert picked up on a “protective” air from William.
Stanton said William appeared to lean “into his family in a protective and authoritative manner.” The heir to the throne also took after his father, the king, 75, which is “often” the case with William.
“He often matches and mirrors Charles’ body language and gestures the King makes,” he explained. “Posturally they both have increased their levels of confidence, standing tall, shoulders back, arms firmly placed by their sides.”
“Their facial expressions remain composed and dignified as if they’re always on duty,” he added.
William also channeled Queen Elizabeth with his Trooping the Colour body language
His father wasn’t the only royal relative William’s body language drew similarities to at Trooping the Colour. Stanton also noticed parallels between William’s movements and those of Queen Elizabeth II, the heir to the throne’s late grandmother.
“The late Queen did this too,” the expert said in reference to William’s “dignified” facial expression. “Facially, she gave nothing away. She was always calm, composed, and unfazed.”
“With William, he takes his commitments and his duties seriously. He embraces it in the same manner as the late Queen did. And his body language is reflective of this.”
He went on to add that it was “fantastic to see William so confident” at Trooping the Colour “with his whole demeanour [sic] showing he is taking his duties in his stride.”
In the wake of the king’s annual birthday parade, other William sightings likely to come include the Royal Ascot and the Japanese state visit, just to name a few.
Showbiz Cheat Sheet acknowledges conditions and cultures can impact body language and is sensitive to all backgrounds.
