Body Language Expert Says Prince Charles Is ‘At Ease with the Transition’ to Becoming King
All eyes were on Prince Charles earlier this week as he made royal history at the State Opening of Parliament.
For the first time, the 73-year-old Prince of Wales delivered Queen Elizabeth's speech on her behalf. And though he did a solid job that's sure to get Her Majesty's approval, we can’t help but wonder: Were there any non-verbal queues from the prince that we didn't pick up on?
We turned to body language expert Darren Stanton who analyzed Prince Charles during the event. Speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino, Stanton revealed that Charles appears to be "at ease" when it comes to his transition to be king. Additionally, he noted that the prince maintained a stoic expression—a habit that his mother is well-known for.
As he discussed the prince's appearance, Stanton stated that while Charles appeared calm, he was also noticeably concerned about his mother. He explained, "From his body language, Charles seems at ease with the transition as he has clearly spent most of his adult life preparing for the moment he takes over the throne. Despite his confidence, there were certain gestures Charles made that suggested he found the situation he was in a little overwhelming and it was clear to see there was concern for his mother, the queen, too."
Stanton continued, "Interestingly, he demonstrated none of his usual non-verbal gestures, like tucking his hand into his jacket or playing with his cufflinks, both signs of self-reassurance when you may not feel particular confidence in a certain situation. While delivering the queen’s speech, Charles appeared focused and adopted elements of the stoicism his mother has become known for."
Given the nature of the event, it comes as no surprise that Prince Charles was a bit more reserved than usual. But according to Stanton, this also indicates that the royal is ready to take on his future role as king. "For Charles, preparing for his new role seems to have elevated him and given him a new sense of duty," Stanton said. "Under normal circumstances, he is quite animated, smiling and laughing, whereas here we see a more serious side to the royal. Given it was a serious event, his focused and sincere expression was proportionate to the importance he placed upon it."
Looks like the queen will be leaving the U.K. in great hands, though we sincerely hope that day isn't for a long, long time.
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