Body language expert Darren Stanton says Prince William’s behaviour has changed over the years as the royal turns 40, explaining the meaning behind some of his most common gestures. Darren said William is now ‘embracing’ his role as future King and the huge influence his marriage to Kate Middleton has had on him.
Darren, speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino, has explained how William's body language has changed since his marriage to Kate - and why, revealing the hidden meaning behind what the Duke of Cambridge does with his hands.
Darren said: "As an early Royal, William relied on ‘self-reassurance’. “As young children both William and Harry were quite introverted and did not appear that confident. When William grew into adolescence, he developed a number of personality traits reminiscent of his father Prince Charles - they say we are a reflection of the people around us, they influence our values and beliefs and in the case of William, this is very true.
“In earlier photos of William during public engagements, we see him displaying self-reassurance behaviours and lacking slightly in confidence. We self-reassure ourselves by touching the face, folding both arms or even picking at sleeves on a jacket as a way of deflecting our attention away from the person or situation in front of us that is causing concern or anxiety - doing so gives us psychological breathing space to retreat for a moment.
“William has been seen adopting a certain posture that his brother Prince Harry has become known for - placing the flat of your hand inside your jacket. It’s a very reassuring gesture when feeling anxious or uneasy and at times William has displayed this. Another tell-tale sign of William’s to show he is uncomfortable is the Royal playing with the button on his jackets or touching his cufflinks.”
And Darren says Kate Middleton has ‘built William’s confidence’. He said: “Over recent years William has really developed as a senior Royal, as an empath and as a communicator, and part of that is thanks to his marriage to Kate Middleton.
“Kate has had a lot to do with building William’s confidence, especially during Royal engagements and meeting other civil dignitaries. Of course, becoming a father has given William a great deal of inner peace and tranquility and boosted his confidence in himself.
“We no longer tend to see the jacket gesture so much these days and playing with his cufflinks has become a rare occurrence, suggesting that William has developed within his own skin and has become very much more comfortable in his future role as King.
“His willingness to engage in public displays of affection with Kate and his happiness while doing so has become even more prevalent in the last few years. Attending premieres, such as the James Bond premiere or recent Top Gun premiere with Tom Cruise, William has quite openly kissed Kate and held her hand. During exchanges, the couple have been seen intimately placing their hands on one another’s or holding hands when they are simply sat down. This shows that the couple are very much in love and Kate plays a central figure in William’s life.”
Darren said Kate has had ‘big influence’ on William embracing role as future King. He said: “Kate, herself, is quietly confident and she is happy to attend events on her own without William as much as she is alongside him. She’s built her relationships with other members of the senior Royal family and her willingness when it comes to her Royal duties appears to have had a big influence on the way that William now thinks.
“William’s body language now shows signs of openness, integrity, honesty and a desire to connect with all of those he comes into contact with, whether it’s Royalty, a public figure, politician or member of the public - a trait his mother Diana was known for and one Kate has continuously shown. Not only have we seen his character evolve and mature, but William is now embracing the fact that one day soon he will be King.”
