Prince William’s and Princess Kate’s body language during her first public appearance since her abdominal surgery in January has gone viral.
Kate spent the first half of 2024 resting after the January 16 surgery and later being diagnosed with cancer, for which she began chemotherapy in late February.
Before announcing her diagnosis, she was the subject of wild and sometimes morbid conspiracy theories, which appeared to have been undermined by her dramatic return to the limelight for Saturday’s Trooping the Colour ceremony, which marked King Charles’ birthday.
The princess’s lengthy absence from public life brought a focus on Kate’s and William’s body language as they looked out at the crowd from the Buckingham Palace balcony on Saturday.
One clip posted on X (formerly Twitter) by a Prince Harry and Meghan Markle supporter, which was viewed 4.5 million times and liked 3,200 times, appeared to show William scolding Kate.
However, a longer version of the moment that available on YouTube seems to show that he was leaning forward to try to talk to the king, who turns his head to reply moments after the Twitter version cuts out.
The post referenced a backlash against Harry and Meghan in the British media over the timing of an unrelated Instagram post, about her new brand of jam, by a friend of theirs, Nacho Figueras, on the same day Kate announced her first public appearance since Christmas Day.
It read: “I knew it wasn’t long before they say Meghan is overshadowing Kate where is the so-called body language experts when you need them. When y’all come for #PrinceHarry & #PrincessMeghan. #SussexSquad will remind you that #ThatFamily don’t reciprocate the happiness they Portray.”
The message was accompanied by a 15-second clip, slowed down, which focused only on William and Kate. In it, the prince appears to bend down and lean in close to the princess’s face.
Moments after the prince leans forward, the king can be seen turning his head and nodding in reply, looking across Kate toward William.
At the time, they were watching a Royal Air Force flyby. The rest of the conversation among the family members appears cordial, but none of their words are audible.
Judi James, a communication and body language expert, told the MailOnline: “The most touching mutual reward signal came from William and Kate, though, when their eyes finally met.
“William’s eye-crinkling and the puckered muscles around his lips showed his inner pride and possible relief to have his beautiful wife standing beside him again, while Kate, who had relaxed visibly by this stage, pinged back a wide, dimpled and very loving smile,” James said.
