William Breaks Royal Protocol In Brazil Visit And Shows He Doesn't Follow the Queen's Way
Having vowed to have a reign free of pomp and tradition, Prince William broke from the royal rulebook during his Brazil visit on November 4.
As King Charles continues his cancer treatment, Prince William is gradually taking the reins, hell bent on modernizing the monarchy. The Prince of Wales has previously spoken about shedding some of the pomp and tradition when he does take the throne. Staying true to that vision, he broke from the royal rulebook during his visit to Brazil on November 4, where he was snapped clicking selfies with fans. According to body language expert Darren Stanton, William's behavior marked a stark departure from the late Queen Elizabeth's more formal approach when interacting with the public.
As per The Royal Insider, Stanton emphasized how William appeared 'relaxed' and 'approachable' while connecting with the public. He said, "His body language spoke volumes: open-palmed gestures, warm smiles, and constant handshakes that signaled authenticity and ease. Unlike the late Queen Elizabeth II, who adhered to a more formal protocol, William broke through tradition with hugs, selfies, and genuine interaction." The body language expert also highlighted how the public was more at ease with the Prince than they were with the late Queen. "A member of the crowd shook his hand and placed a hand on William’s arm – a spontaneous gesture of admiration that perfectly captured the affection people feel for him."
For her part, Queen Elizabeth strictly avoided being too tactile or clicking selfies, preferring a measured smile, a formal handshake, or, at most, a few carefully chosen words. However, she had good reason for preventing her family from clicking selfies, as they are traditionally required to keep the public focus on their engagements and official duties. According to HELLO!, she once expressed that she found it 'disconcerting' and 'strange' to be greeted by a barrage of phones, considering it poor manners for well-wishers to focus on screens instead of directly talking to her.
Meanwhile, the Prince of Wales has cheekily been dubbed the 'selfie king' by royal watchers. Royal expert Emily Ferguson explained his contemporary approach to connecting with fans, telling the Daily Express, "His readiness to appear in snaps and share selfie-style video messages to his social media platforms shows the Prince is embracing the new TikTok generation who prefer visual storytelling." The expert believed that William's decision to change the Queen's 'no selfie' rule is an important attempt to make the royal family appear more relatable, not snobs.
After Queen Elizabeth's demise, many assumed that William would carry forward his grandmother's legacy of tradition and pageantry. However, the Prince chose to shake things up, perfectly blending tradition and modernity. Weighing in on the same, royal correspondent Charles Rae once told The Guardian, "There's going to be a lot more friendly handshakes and possibly hugs, rather than the formality that we've seen in the past. Thus far, this prediction has proven true, with William physically embracing people from across the United Kingdom rather than just offering them a little wave."
