The Duchess of Edinburgh, 59, stepped into ‘maternal’ function at Cenotaph to assist ‘stoic’ Kate Middleton – providing a supportive contact, says physique language knowledgeable

The Duchess of Edinburgh once again showed why she is one of the most trusted members of the royal family, as she helped support the Princess of Wales during one of her most high-profile appearances yet since her cancer annnouncement. 

Body language expert Judi James said Sophie, 59, who is married to Prince Edward, offered a ‘very telling-looking gesture’ – a guiding hand on Kate’s back – that signified exactly why she was by the younger royal’s side at the Cenotaph.

The Princess of Wales, in the absence of Queen Camilla, who is recovering from a chest infection, was joined by Sophie on the balcony at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office – as the two minutes’ silence was broadcast live, with around 10,000 veterans attending the service. 

James said: ‘That simple gesture showed Sophie’s dual role today. Sophie is always the royal who brings a sense of calm support to some of the most emotionally-charged royal occasions. 

‘She and Kate always appear to be close and to share a sense of humour but Sophie’s gesture here seems to show her in a more maternal mode as she places on hand on or near Kate’s back as she stepped inside the building.’

It was a moment that mimicked the supportive touches by Prince William towards his wife on display at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday evening, James said: 

‘The gesture looked similar to the back touches William had been performing the night before. It registered fondness and maybe a small congratulatory ‘well done’ for another milestone achieved in terms of Kate’s return to royal duties. 

‘But it also looked like a small but powerful signal to William and even George and Charlotte that, even when William is not at Kate’s side, she is still surrounded by royal family that are taking very good care of her, albeit subtly.’

The Princess of Wales appeared to appreciate the support of the Duchess of Edinburgh at the Cenotaph this morning, as the two women stood side-by-side as King Charles led the wreath-laying alongside the Prince of Wales and the Prime Minister. 

James also said that the Princess of Wales appears to be increasingly comfortable back in the spotlight. 

She explained: ‘Kate’s body language and even her styling today showed a return to what looked like full regal form. 

Even her fascinator and the way she wore her hair swept up looked like a re-run of one of her most iconic ‘regal’ moments when she was photographed in the car, in her Covid face mask, at Philip’s funeral, looking fiercely elegant and regal and so much like a future queen.’

‘She was seen chatting and smiling gently with Sophie on the balcony and, with Camilla not attending, she appeared to move into central position with Sophie standing to her side, with relaxed-looking confidence.

‘Her facial expression became sombre once we heard the chimes of Big Ben and there was a more contained version of her clearly emotional signalling that we saw at the concert the evening before. Then she appeared tearful, but here her sadness registered with a fiercely regal look of stoic reflection.’

The well-liked Duchess of Edinburgh has become an increasingly significant member of the royals in recent years.

For Kate, much has changed in the year since she last attended the Remembrance Service, with the royal revealing to the nation earlier this year that she had been diagnosed with cancer.  

Today, the Princess cut a stylish figure as she arrived at the Cenotaph this morning, wearing a structured black coat and three-flowered fascinator as she joined her fellow royals 

The royal who continued her favoured tradition of wearing a military style coat for the serive also donned a significant piece of royal jewellery for Remembrance Sunday. 

The mother-of-three wore Bahrain Pearl Diamond Drop Earrings, from the late Queen Elizabeth’s private collection, which were also worn by the late Princess Diana in 1982. 

The earrings were crafted from pearls gifted to the Queen and Philip from the ruler of Bahrain at the time of their wedding in 1947.

The monarch famously wore the jewels in her first Royal Command portrait by Dorothy Wilding in July 1952. 

Kate first wore them in 2016 for the Remembrance Day service at Westminster Abbey, and also wore them to attend Prince Philip‘s funeral in 2021.

Kate wore her brunette locks neatly tied up into a chic black fascinator with feathered detail and a netted veil. 

On her coat was a 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards Brooch, alongside three five-petal royal poppies.  

Brigadier Alan Richmond gifted Catherine the brooch when she was made Colonel-in-Chief of the Dragoon Guards in 2023. 

The two-minute silence was be led by King Charles, alongside the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Queen Camilla did not attend, while still recovering from a chest infection.  

Also in attendance was Princess Anne and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, alongside the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent. 

Thousands of veterans, members of the public and dignitaries gathered at Whitehall at 11am to honour those lost in conflict. 

Following the Prince and Princess of Wales’ appearance on Saturday evening at the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall, a body language expert told MailOnline that the couple looked closer than ever.    

This weekend marks the Princess’ first high-profile appearance in months since she was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer. 

Prince William this week described the year as the ‘hardest’ of his life, whilst remarking how proud he was of his father and wife for their bravery and dignity amid their health woes. 

On Saturday, prior to entering the Royal Albert Hall, the Princess of Wales lovingly and gently rubbed William’s lower back. 

Several times throughout the ceremony, the Royal couple could be seen glancing and whispering in each others direction giving us a glimpse of the  ‘mutual affection’ they share. 

Following the emotional tributes to British personnel, Judi James reveals exactly what the Wales’s body language says about their relationship, and how the Princess Royal showed ‘maternal concern’ for a ‘frail’ King Charles.  

Earlier yesterday evening, footage showed Prince William lightly and lovingly clasping at Princess Kate’s upper waist and back as they were guided into the renowned London music hall. 

Body language expert Judi James told MailOnline that it indicated the Royal couple ‘couldn’t keep their hands off each other’ and they will be ‘far more open about showing the strength of their love’ in the future. 

‘For a couple that usually limits their touch rituals or PDAs to one or two per appearance, this brief arrival walk to greet their hosts contained an ongoing volley of affectionate, loving and mutually protective touches, glances and truncated hugs,’ she said.

‘The cliche “They couldn’t keep their hands off each other” really does apply here and this behaviour between the couple answers a question that has been hanging since the very romantic, openly loving video they released to update on Kate’s health.’

She added: ‘This glimpse already suggests an upgrade in their PDAs, which in turn should suggest they will now be far more open about showing the strength of their love after keeping their emotions rather under wraps in a bid to avoid the kind of attention William’s mother Princess Diana suffered from.’

Ms James also revealed that Prince William’s rush to join the Princess’s side as they mutually placed their hands on each others waists, stepping closer to one another showed ‘mutual support, protection and affection’.

The body language expert continued: ‘He seems to glance at her face lovingly and when her arm drops he places his own around her as they stand with their heads close. 

‘This is followed by two more hands placed on Kate’s back, with an almost endless ritual of PDAs.’

The Prince and Princess of Wales also led the applause as the crowd touchingly honoured the families of fallen soldiers at the Festival of Remembrance yesterday. 

The lavish venue eagerly clapped as military personnel laid roses to honour those who had passed in Afghanistan, with Ben O’Donnell the son of late warrant officer Gary O’Donnell placing the final flower.

There was not a dry eye in the house, as the crowd – including the Royals stood in silence with tear-filled eyes to remember those who had sacrificed everything for Britain. 

During these tributes Kate and William appeared solemn as the applause erupted at the Royal Albert Hall, an exhibit of ‘strong emotions’ from the Prince, according to Ms James.

‘Kate’s beaming smiles when she arrived quickly converted to a more solemn expression as she stood to attention in the royal box next to her husband, with William wearing a deep frown to suggest strong emotions as he watched the service,’ she said.

‘When William and Kate stood applauding the veterans of World War II it was clear Kate was becoming tearful. 

‘Her brows were raised and there were tears in her eyes, then in a later moment we could see her sucking her lips inward, which is a gesture of strong, suppressed emotion.’ 

Ms James also divulged how King Charles looked ‘frail’ without Queen Camilla by his side after she fell unwell with a ‘seasonal chest infection’. 

‘It was clear he had a very watchful wing-woman, in a touching display it was Princess Anne who flanked her brother and watched him like a hawk,’ the body language expert added. 

‘Even when there were things happening on the stage we could see her eyes drawn to Charles with a look of almost maternal concern.’

It comes as images showed the Princess of Wales beaming as she entered the hall for the Festival of Remembrance last night.

Kate was radiant as she cut a sleek figure in a black dress walking alongside Prince William into the lavish Kensington venue to celebrate Britain’s servicemen and women last night. 

Kate donned one poppy this year, despite being renowned for pinning three to herself in previous years for the Remembrance weekend events. 

His Majesty, who became Patron of the Royal British Legion earlier this year, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, as well as Princess Anne were in attendance at last night’s proceedings. 

The Duke of Kent, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucestershire and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence were seated in the Royal Box yesterday, as those who put their lives on the line for King and Country are celebrated.

The King was applauded as he sat down at the event which honours sacrifices made by the British and Commonwealth armed forces community and includes musical performances and personal testimonies.

The Royal family also stood to celebrate World War II veterans who gave their lives for Britain.

The Princess of Wales, whose chic hair swept effortlessly to the side, spoke to the Prince William after joining in applause, as the Royals proceeded to join in the singing of a hymn.

The King as well as the Wales’s all stood to join the rendition of Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer at the Royal British Legion event.

The Royal emblem was laid over the rail in front of the royal box at the concert hall in South Kensington, London.

King Charles III and the Princess Royal beamed with pride as the Chelsea Pensioners marched centre stage, with Prince William and Princess Kate clapping along with the crowd. 

After the military personnel marched in unison, an upbeat King Charles stood and waved to the cheering crowd.

Hosted by Adrian Lester, several British music icons took to the stage to honour the servicemen and women, including Sir Tom Jones, Alexandra Burke, Jack Savoretti and many more. 

However the Queen was noticeably absent from both last night’s event as well as the Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph tomorrow after becoming unwell with a ‘seasonal chest infection’.

A Palace spokesperson confirmed: ‘Following doctors’ guidance to ensure a full recovery from a seasonal chest infection, and to protect others from any potential risk, Her Majesty will not attend this weekend’s Remembrance events.

‘While this is a source of great disappointment to The Queen, she will mark the occasion privately at home and hopes to return to public duties early next week.’

It is understood there is no cause for alarm, and no downturn in her condition. The Queen is said to be mindful of minimising the risk of passing any last lingering infection to others.

Princess Catherine who is recovering from cancer and King Charles, who is still having ongoing treatment for cancer, are both attending this weekend’s Remembrance events

In a video Kate released in September, she revealed she had finished her chemotherapy treatment, and spoke of how she was ‘looking forward to being back at work and undertaking a few more public engagements in the coming months‘.

But she added her focus was ‘doing what I can to stay cancer free’.

William said on Wednesday during his trip to Cape Town that his wife was ‘doing really well’ and has been ‘amazing this whole year’.

The Princess, 42, has made just a handful of public appearances so far in 2024, after she underwent major abdominal surgery in January and then was diagnosed with cancer.

Her last engagement was a month ago, when she made a surprise trip to meet families whose children were killed in the Southport attack and speak to emergency workers who helped at the scene after the devastating knife attack.

In her heartfelt video in September, Kate opened up about her cancer journey, as the Wales family were shown enjoying time together outdoors.

The Princess said she was entering ‘this new phase of recovery with a renewed sense of hope and appreciation of life’.

‘The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family,’ she said.

She added: ‘Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long.’

At the start of October, the Princess was pictured hugging an aspiring teenage photographer with a rare and aggressive form of cancer after inviting her to take pictures at investitures at Windsor Castle.

Kate met Liz Hatton, 16, from Harrogate, and her family privately after the ceremony with William.

In June, Kate looked relaxed during her first day in the spotlight following her diagnosis when she appeared at the traditional Trooping the Colour ceremony.

She took part in the carriage procession and joined William and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis and other royals on the Palace balcony.

It came the day after a health update from Kate, who was pictured in the grounds of the Windsor Castle estate, standing in a tranquil setting against a weeping willow tree near a lake.

She issued a written message saying she was ‘making good progress’ and had ‘good days and bad days’, but added: ‘I am not out of the woods yet.’

A few weeks later she made another rare appearance when she presented the Wimbledon men’s final trophy to Carlos Alcaraz.

The Princess, patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, was accompanied by Charlotte and chatted to ball boys and girls, and entered Centre Court to loud applause.

She has also met aides to discuss staging her annual Christmas carol service in December, and held meetings on her early years work.

Buckingham Palace announced on Tuesday that the Queen, who has just completed a mammoth tour of Australia and Samoa with King Charles, was cancelling her forthcoming engagements due to a chest infection.

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said at the time: ‘Her Majesty The Queen is currently unwell with a chest infection, for which her doctors have advised a short period of rest.

‘With great regret, Her Majesty has therefore had to withdraw from her engagements for this week but she very much hopes to be recovered in time to attend this weekend’s Remembrance events as normal.

‘She apologises to all those who may be inconvenienced or disappointed as a result.’

The 77-year-old royal is understood to be recovering at home in Wiltshire and is being monitored by doctors.

Camilla’s condition meant that she had to reluctantly withdraw from the annual opening of the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey on Thursday; with the Duchess of Gloucester, 78, standing in for her.

The Queen also had to cancel an appearance at a reception at Buckingham Palace honouring the nation’s Olympic and Paralympic stars the very same day. 

Camilla is anticipated to return to work as soon as next week and is set to host a reception for authors shortlisted for this year’s Booker Prize at Clarence House.

She is also expected to attend the glitzy global premiere of Gladiator II at the Royal Film Performance in London’s Leicester Square next Wednesday evening.

Buckingham Palace announced the King and Camilla will meet the stars of the blockbuster, Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen and Pedro Pascal, and director Sir Ridley Scott.

The reception marks the centenary of the Film and TV Charity, of which Charles is patron. The events are taking place on the eve of the King’s birthday, with Charles turning 76 next Thursday.

Tomorrow the King alongside other members of the Royal family will attend the annual Remembrance Service at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, which is the nation’s chief war memorial dedicated to those who died in World War I and II.

His Majesty is expected to lay a wreath designed to pay homage to his grandfather King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II.

The wreath of poppies will be placed on a bed of black leaves, bearing the monarch’s racing colours of scarlet, purple and gold – as is traditional for a Sovereign. 

Queen Camilla’s wreath, which also bears her racing colours inherited from her grandfather and inspired by the Queen Mother, will be placed on her behalf by an Equerry from the Royal Household. Both wreathes were made by the Poppy Factory.

Prince William will lay the wreath previously placed by King Charles III, featuring the Prince of Wales feathers and a new ribbon in Welsh red.