The Princess of Wales today appeared ‘confident and regal’ as she put her ‘guests at ease with active listening techniques, touch rituals and prolonged eye engagement’, according to a body language expert.
Kate, 40, was the picture of compassion as she chatted with sorrowful dignitaries from the Commonwealth during a special lunch at Buckingham Palace, with the help of the new King, Queen Consort, Prince of Wales, Earl of Wessex and Princess Royal.
The royal mother-of-three, dressed in a black ankle-length dress with a long three-strand pearl necklace and matching bracelet, was photographed smiling at Camilla, as the pair chatted, and also placed her hand on the arm of Saint Lucia governor-general Cyril Errol Melchiades Charles as they spoke.
Expert Judi James told FEMAIL that Kate’s body language signals have changed dramatically since her first Palace luncheon straight after her honeymoon back in 2011.
‘Back then she looked shy and inexperienced, performing anxiety hair-touches while she leaned backward slightly and held her bag up in a barrier gesture. Today we have a confident, very regal-looking woman who is clearly hosting and putting her guests at ease with her techniques of active listening and even touch rituals,’ said Judi.
The Princess of Wales chats with His Excellency Mr. Cyril Errol Melchiades Charles, Governor of St Lucia during a lunch held for governors-general of the Commonwealth nations at Buckingham Palace
The Queen Consort and the Princess of Wales during a lunch held for governors-general of the Commonwealth nations at Buckingham Palace in London
Kate, 40, was the picture of compassion as she chatted with sorrowful dignitaries from the Commonwealth during a special lunch at Buckingham Palace , with the help of the new King, Queen Consort, Prince of Wales, Earl of Wessex and Princess Roya
The body language expert added: ‘Kate now uses a prolonged eye engagement that shows any shyness is a thing of the past.
‘Her hair-touching is practical. Aware of the cameras as she talks to Camilla, she pushes her hair back to make sure her expression and their shared, warm smiles are visible.
The barrier rituals with the bag are also a thing of the past. Kate is now empty-handed, using her hands to use expressive and emphatic gesticulations that will usually be a sign of leadership in a conversation.
‘She is even confident enough to gauge exactly how and when to use touch to show empathy and sympathy, as she does with this arm-touch on the Saint Lucia governor-general.
‘There’s only one small sign to suggest that shyer side is still lurking. In full-length shots we can see her legs are crossed at the ankle in a gesture that suggests a sweetly self-effacing side beneath all the queen-in-waiting confidence.’
The Princess of Wales wore a black dress, which she matched with pearl earrings, a necklace and a bracelet
Charles (far left), Kate (centre), the Earl of Wessex (behind and left of Kate), Princess Anne (right) and Camilla (behind Anne and right) are seen at a lunch at the Palace on Saturday afternoon
Camilla and Kate beamed as they chatted at the lunch held at the Palace on Saturday
The Queen Consort and the Earl of Wessex during a lunch held for governors-general of the Commonwealth nations
King Charles III appears pensive while the Princess of Wales smiles as they hold court at Buckingham Palace on Saturday
Today’s event was a precursor to tomorrow’s ‘reception of the century’, which will see 500 world leaders, presidents and royals gather at the palace in honour of the Queen, ahead of her historic state funeral on Monday.
The governors-general of Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Belize, Canada, Grenada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu were among those present.
Edward and the Countess of Wessex Sophie were greeted with cheers from the waiting crowds as they left the event at Buckingham Palace, before stopping to chat with well-wishers.
The Queen’s youngest son could be heard asking mourners where they had come from and whether they were making their way to Green Park to lay flowers.
Edward said the Queen would ‘appreciate’ the number of people paying their respects, adding: ‘I know that my mother would really appreciate this fantastic support’.
Meanwhile, his wife was given bouquets and a stuffed toy, before she stopped to look at one young girl’s T-shirt, which was printed with photos of the Queen through the decades of her reign.
Sophie and the Earl of Wessex also walked over to meet members of the public stood behind barriers on the edge of Green Park.
It came after Charles and his son William delighted hundreds of stunned mourners waiting to see the Queen lying-in-state on a surprise walkabout today – after they thanked emergency service staff for their work during the mourning period ahead of the state funeral on Monday.
Britain’s new monarch and the Prince of Wales greeted tired royal fans who are queueing 14 hours to see the Queen’s coffin at the Palace of Westminster.
Hundreds of people in line along the South Bank near Lambeth, south London cheered and applauded as Charles and William emerged, with many shouting ‘hip hip hooray’ and ‘God Save the King’ as the royals passed by. Many took photographs and pressed against the metal barriers, eager to exchange a word with the King and the heir to the throne as they shook hands with those closest.
One lady offered Charles condolences as he shook her hand, and another shouted: ‘I can’t believe this’ – while a third presented the two royals with a Paddington Bear toy, in reference to the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee sketch with the beloved children’s character.
As the Prince of Wales shook the hands of mourners, he said: ‘It means an awful lot you’re here. She [the Queen] would never believe this. You’ll make some friends for life [those who have met in crowd’. Revealing that his wife Kate Middleton and children George, Charlotte and Louis were ‘ok’ and ‘all united in grief’, William also said that he became emotional seeing his grandmother’s corgis, adding: ‘They are being looked after – they have gone to a very good home’.
Several people cried after meeting the Prince of Wales, and one woman told him: ‘You’ll be a brilliant king one day’. Charles left before William, both of them in cars surrounded by police vehicles.
Earlier the royals met London Mayor Sadiq Khan, a curtseying Home Secretary Suella Braverman and London’s Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley at Scotland Yard’s special operations. During the visit today in Lambeth, the King also met police staff, who he thanked for their planning and delivery of policing in the days leading up to his mother’s funeral, as well as workers at London Ambulance Service, London Fire Brigade, Transport for London and the Army.
The King concluded his tour of the home nations yesterday, starting his day with a visit to Wales, after trips to Northern Ireland and Scotland in recent days.
Final preparations are under way for the funeral in two days, with 2,000 VIPs – from world leaders Joe Biden, Emmanuel Macron and Jacinda Ardern to royals including Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, Belgium’s King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia, Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia and the Netherlands’ King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima – expected to arrive throughout the weekend.
It comes after the King and his siblings last night held a silent vigil in Westminster Hall to pay a moving tribute to their beloved mother.
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