Home / Latest News / Prince Charles

Kate Middleton Gave Prince William 'Pointed Looks' During One of the Couple's Most 'Awkward' Engagements

Kate Middleton gave Prince William 'pointed looks' during an awkward 2017 event in Warsaw, Poland, while on tour.

split charles
Source: mega

Kate Middleton and Prince William have undertaken numerous engagements since their wedding in 2011, but the duo's 2017 tour of Poland and Germany came with numerous "pointed looks" from the future queen to her future king.

Both royals are tried and true professionals at what they do, but like all married partnerships, stress and strain take their toll. While attending a reception in honor of Queen Elizabeth II's birthday in Warsaw, the future Princess of Wales radiated negative emotions toward her husband, despite her best efforts to conceal her anger.

split charles

When analyzing the pair's interactions at the event, body language expert Judi James told a source, "When we see a photo of a royal looking angry or stressed it can often be a body language 'flash,' i.e. a very fleeting facial expression that has been taken out of context."

The then-Duchess of Cambridge could have easily been exhausted or under strain from the tour's schedule, but her expressions signaled anger over tiredness. James pointed out, "There are several photos of the occasion that show her looking unhappy or even throwing William some pointed looks while he tried to remain neutral, with a faint, polite closed-lip smile of what looked like regret or awkwardness."

Other royal commentators at the time highlighted how the Duchess looked "furious" with William. As The Royal Observer once reported, the time period after Princess Charlotte's birth and the arrival of Prince Louis between 2015-2018 was a contentious time for the next Prince and Princess of Wales, and there were even rumors of an extramarital affair on William's part later in 2019.

split charles

The Prince and Princess of Wales survived any apparent rift in their marriage, and they both continue to support one another fully to this day. This is despite the princes' apparent "hot temper" and the princess' frustration with him, which leads her to treat him "like a fourth child."

But in a royal career spanning over 12 years, to have only one public appearance where the tension between them was rough is an impressive statistic. Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, had many more moments in full view of the camera that showed their poker faces toward one another.

split charles

The Express interviewed James.

GET BREAKING ROYAL NEWS
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

More Stories

A UK barrister has a warning for the royals suggesting that the bedrock of British culture is under a strain that it may never truly recover. 
By Sakshi Singh · FEB 19, 2026
A new account suggests the two sisters-in-law competed fiercely for press attention and public approval.
By Abha Anindita · FEB 7, 2026
The Grammy-nominated artist discussed Harry and Meghan on a podcast, and shared what she thought about the estrangement.
By Abha Anindita · FEB 5, 2026
Meghan has already started to tease what appears to be a carefully thought-out Valentine's Day rollout tied to love, gifting, and slow mornings at home.
By Madhurima · JAN 28, 2026
Although Prince Harry's private security team identified her immediately, they found themselves in a legal stalemate.
By Sakshi Singh · JAN 26, 2026
Harry named 10 associates he was in regular contact with during the relevant period, including his brother, sister-in-law, and ex, Chelsy Davy.
By Medha Sengupta · JAN 22, 2026
The Duke of Sussex entered the Gothic Victorian court building around 10 AM.
By Abha Anindita · JAN 19, 2026
This time around, the palace appears unwilling to loosen its purse strings beyond what is necessary.
By Medha Sengupta · JAN 17, 2026
Insiders say the couple took on total risk with no investors involved.
By Abha Anindita · JAN 16, 2026
Sources say the silence was deliberate — but the Princess of Wales is choosing calm
By Abha Anindita · JAN 13, 2026