An ’emotionally low’ Prince William may have recalled his own military service at this year’s Remembrance Sunday event in London, according to a body language expert.
The Prince of Wales and King Charles each laid a wreath at the Cenotaph in Whitehall to mark the occasion. The ceremony was also attended by Kate Middleton, who attended her first official public engagement since completing chemotherapy treatment for cancer.
A body language expert has now claimed the ‘tense’ future King may have been thinking back to his time in the military. Speaking on behalf of Spin Genie, Inbaal Honigman also said William fully recognised the importance of the event.
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Honigman told the Daily Star: “When Prince William approaches the Cenotaph, holding his wreath, his hands and shoulders are tense, muscles flexed. His head is lowered, his fingers tense over his sword – this shows that he wants to get everything right.
“His concentration is palpable, and his lowered head says that he’s emotionally low, remembering the sacrifices of the people he is honouring. The Prince salutes using tense gestures – his fingers are flexed and his elbow is tight and jutting. This tells us that he finds the occasion poignant.
“As William walks back, having laid the wreath, his lips tighten. He bites his lips, so that they disappear from view, which shows tension. For William, the occasion may bring back memories from his own military service.”
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William joined the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) after graduating from the University of St Andrews back in 2005. He took a 44-week course as an Officer Cadet before being commissioned as a British Army officer in December 2006.
His next posting saw him join the Household Cavalry (Blues and Royals) as a second lieutenant. He was promoted to lieutenant a year later.
He spent several years in the Royal Air Force (RAF) and Royal Navy, and even after leaving the military, he retrained as an air ambulance pilot and worked with the East Anglian Air Ambulance for more than two years from March 2015. He said of his time as an air ambulance pilot: “When I put my air ambulance hat on and I come here and I fly, I’m one of the team.”
Today’s ceremony was particularly significant for William’s wife. The Princess of Wales showed “strength and confidence” as she returned to royal duties, Honigman previously told the Star.
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“The first glimpse we see of Princess Catherine on the balcony, watching the Remembrance Sunday service, her body language projects strength and confidence, while she’s fully connected with the solemnity of the occasion,” she said.
“Her torso faces forward at all times, even when she holds a quiet conversation, and her shoulders are squared off. This tells us that she’s feeling strong and confident, and that she is paying attention to the service. Her eyes are lowered for much of the time, which shows that the sadness of the day is evident to her.”