Expert Spots William’s ‘Anxious’ Habit During Easter Outing — And It’s One He Shares With Harry
Prince William’s Easter appearance raised eyebrows as experts spotted subtle ‘anxious’ cues, with key royal absences adding to the tension.
On Easter Sunday, the Royal Family was out and about united. But there was someone who did not look quite confident. According to royal expert Judi James (via Mirror), Prince William was showing signs of stress during the event. As the family walked through the crowds towards St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, the Prince was reportedly ‘anxious.’ The entire family followed the King and the Queen, together in an event of this size, following the arrest of disgraced ex-Prince Andrew.
James, who is also a body language expert, noted that while William walked alongside Kate and his children, George, Charlotte, and Louis, his gestures seemed like he was tense. She said, “It was only William showing a subtle tell of any anxiety with a gesture he shares ironically with his brother when they are under scrutiny or pressure, which is the hand placed over the stomach in a self-soothing barrier ritual.” Harry, too, can be seen using this same gesture in a lot of photos, even the official engagement photos with Markle.
Talking about this, Traci Brown, body language expert and author of Persuasion Point: Body Language and Speech Influence, noted, "He’s covering his solar plexus area (the vital organs) and protecting it, which just says he’s not quite comfortable in the situation." Fellow expert, Blanca Cobb, author of Method of the Masters, agrees, describing the arm across the abdomen as a "barrier to separate or distance himself" from things that make him uneasy—like the glare of the paparazzi. For William, falling back on this shared 'shield' suggests that, despite the united front, the pressure of leading the family through the current scandal-mired environment is taking a visible toll. However, it is possible that his reason for anxiety could have been other than his disgraced Uncle.
It might have been worsened by the Duchess of Edinburgh not being there. Prince Edward showed up with their son James, but Sophie skipped it as she was not feeling well. On the other hand, James noticed that Princess Charlotte showed a more mature side at this event. “It was Charlotte leading the group and taking on the more active, high-profile royal role, voluntarily waving and smiling at the crowds of her own volition, with Kate even mirroring her own daughter with a brief wave, rather than the other way around,” she added. She went on to compare her gestures to those of her grandmother, the late Princess Diana. According to her, Charlotte’s body language in that moment seemed strikingly familiar.
James continued, “Charlotte even showed signs of a desire to protect and support her siblings, turning back with a proud regal smile to check on Louis as she led her family towards the chapel.” The Prince and Princess of Wales skipped the 2024 Easter celebrations after Kate was diagnosed with cancer. She shared an emotional video message revealing that she had begun a course of preventative chemotherapy a week before the event last year. Other attendees of the Easter Sunday service included Princess Anne, who arrived with her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, alongside Prince Edward and his son James, the Earl of Wessex.
Moreover, along with Sophie, her and Edward’s daughter, Lady Louise, also remained absent, who is currently busy focusing on her university studies. Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie also remained absent from the celebrations. It was mainly due to their father, Mountbatten-Windsor, being involved in a controversy with convicted financier Jeffrey Epstein. He was stripped of the royal titles and arrested on suspicion of revealing trade secrets to the convicted felon while he was acting as a UK trade envoy.
