William hints at 'inner tension' with rapid gesture at Remembrance - expert

12 November 2023 , 13:49

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William hints at 'inner tension' with rapid gesture at Remembrance - expert

Prince William hinted at signs of suffering inner tension as he joined King Charles at Remembrance Sunday, according to a body language expert.

Charles led the country at the Cenotaph in Whitehall in commemorating the end of the First World War and other conflicts involving British and Commonwealth forces. After he laid a wreath at the monument, his oldest son William followed his lead by laying his wreath adorned with the Prince of Wales feathers. Before this, the two men joined the rest of those gathered in Central London and across the country in a two-minute silence as soon as Big Ben struck 11am. And during this moment, body language expert Judi James noted a movement shared by both William and Charles - rapid blinking.

Prince William at Remembrance Sunday with his father King Charles (Getty Images)

However, she suspects the reason behind this might be very different for father and son. She told the Mirror: "Rapid blinking at an increased rate, as both William and Charles were doing, tends to be caused either by a suppression of tears or it can be a physiological response that is down to an increase in adrenalin prompted by tension, anxiety or even anger!

"In Charles' case, I would call the 'tears option' as his eyes did look damp and the way he rolled his eyes upward a couple of times would be another technique to avoid actually shedding tears.

Prince William takes his place in front of the Cenotaph (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

William carries his wreath adorned with the Prince of Wales feathers (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

"For William there was a staccato blinking that was more frequent, which would say more about inner tension. He seems to be presenting himself as the family rock that his father can rely on but that display of strength and calm could be underpinned by some inner tension in terms of getting it right.

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"He might want to avoid showing any vulnerability, especially in the light of the constant problems from the US, but there do seem to be a couple of micro-gestures, i.e. the blinking and the jaw muscle movement, that give hints the responsibility does require effort. William's body language now places him as a beacon of calm and strength at formal, traditional royal events like this. His features looked softer as though keeping a fond eye on his father, although a muscle working in his jaw did suggest some inner tension and alertness."

Charles appeared to choke back the tears at the event (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

A wreath was also laid at the Cenotaph on Queen Camilla's behalf by her equerry. She and the Princess of Wales stood on a balcony of the Foreign Office to watch the service. Other royals that laid wreaths at the base of the monument were Prince Edward and Princess Anne.

The late Queen, who died last year, considered Remembrance Sunday, which commemorates the war dead, one of the most significant and important engagements in the royal calendar. The nation’s longest reigning monarch, who lived through the Second World War as a teenager and was head of the armed forces, only missed seven Cenotaph services during her reign.

Jennifer Newton