Kate Middleton joined the other senior royals in welcoming South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to the United Kingdom Tuesday. A body language expert weighed in on the Princess of Wales' gestures, and here's what she said.
Kate Middleton Showing Signs Of Tension During State Visit?
Body language expert Judi James highlighted the tension she sensed in the Duchess of Cambridge when the royals welcomed the South African leader Tuesday morning. The Prince and Princess of Wales were seen travelling in the car at the time.
"There are some out-of-character signs of tension on Kate's face as she sits in the car en route to welcome their guest for their first state visit as Prince and Princess of Wales, suggesting she is taking her new responsibilities seriously," James said, Express reported.
Prince William shook Ramaphosa's hand first, and Middleton waited in a supportive position. She let her husband take the limelight. However, she was confident during the engagement.
"She also hangs back as William strides to greet their visitor, but when she does step forward, her handshake looks slickly professional, with an extended arm and a raised hand with her thumb placed on top of the clasp in a signal of confidence," the expert continued.
Kate Middleton Signals Confidence, Expert Says
Even if Middleton wasn't taking the lead, she was confident, according to James. She reportedly used "intense-looking eye contact and her smile looks unforced."
Prince William and Middleton stood on either side of Ramaphosa for some formal photographs, and the Princess of Wales looked as confident as ever.
"Kate's pose beside the President contains two signals of confidence and connection with the camera," Judi said.
"She poses initially with her hands clasped in front, which mirrors her husband's pose, but she is also seen with her arms hanging at her sides in a more individual expression of confidence."
Kate Middleton Has Reportedly Become A Fearless Figure In The Firm
Middleton received intense backlash from the netizens when Meghan Markle joined the firm. The Duchess of Sussex hit the ground running, and many felt she accomplished more than the future queen consort.
Apparently, it turned out that Middleton was preparing silently for her position. She reportedly had closed-door meetings with Queen Elizabeth, and she had proven her worth to the late monarch.
"Over time, Kate has proved to the queen that she can be trusted and they developed a great relationship," one said on Us Weekly's "Hot Hollywood" podcast, "Kate has become a fearless public figure and knows protocols like the back of her hand, Elizabeth feels confident that Kate will make a great queen."
Middleton was reportedly nervous around the Queen when she was still new to the firm. They eventually got along well, and Prince William's grandmother even considered her a "safe pair of hands."
"She's been a member of the royal family for 10 years now. … I think given that all that's going on in the past few years in the royal family in terms of the fallouts. … The Queen has great trust in Kate," Joe Little, the managing editor of Majesty Magazine, told Us Weekly.
Stay tuned for more news and updates about Kate Middleton.
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