The Royal Family has been going through a tough time lately. King Charles had to step back from his royal duties due to his cancer diagnosis, and Princess Kate is slowly making her way back into the public eye undergoing abdominal surgery in January and announcing she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy.
Despite these trying times, the royals are sticking together behind closed doors. It’s well-known that the family shares a close bond, with Kate Middleton having a particularly special relationship with her in-laws, King Charles and Queen Camilla.
Even while recovering, Kate will be keeping in touch with the couple during Charles’ treatment, ready to lend a hand to Camilla, who has taken on more responsibilities in her husband’s stead. The bond between the two Royal women was especially noticeable following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.
Just nine weeks after her death, Camilla and Kate were seen standing side by side on the balcony of the Foreign Office, overlooking the Cenotaph where King Charles and Prince William laid wreaths in honour of Remembrance Sunday in 2022. There was a poignant empty space on the balcony, a spot once occupied by the late Queen.
It was clearly a nerve-wracking moment for Camilla, as it was one of her first major appearances since Charles became King. But she wasn’t alone – her daughter-in-law Kate was there to support her.
Body language expert Judi James provided fascinating insight to the Mirror at the time, explaining how Camilla showed a blend of regal duty and anxiety during a recent public appearance. “Watching from the balcony Camilla combined signals of regal duty with some rituals of anxiety. Standing beside Kate, she performed a subtle smile of acknowledgement as her wreath was laid and as she turned to Kate on their way from the balcony she threw a rather fond smile as Kate spoke to her,” she said.
“Camilla smiled at Kate for a second time before nodding, again in a gesture of acknowledgement as she walked ahead of Kate in her new role of Queen.
“Otherwise though there were gestures of open anxiety from Camilla. She looked unable to keep totally still and spoke to Kate at one point but while looking straight ahead rather than turning to her.
“Kate turned her head quickly in a gesture of polite concern. Kate’s calm and very still body language was in contrast to Camilla’s nervous movements that showed the most in the fluttering of her hymn sheet as her two hands fiddled with it throughout.”
Judi didn’t miss noticing Charles’ body language either, pointing out the small actions betraying his effort to control emotions: “Charles stood at the Cenotaph as though totally alone and lost in his thoughts. His mouth was pulled down at the corners and his rapid blinking hinted he was close to tears as he remembered his mother as well as those fallen in action.
“There was even a micro-gesture of a small spasm of the lips to show suppressed emotions as they played the Last Post,” the body language expert concluded.
