11 Times King Charles' Body Language Said It All

11 Times King Charles' Body Language Said It All

Members of the British royal family typically keep their emotions close to their chests and their lips sealed, living by the motto "never complain, never explain." Unless backed into a corner, the royals let spokespeople and statements say what needs to be said. For a family that maintains a collective stiff upper lip, though, the royals sometimes have pretty telling body language that points to exactly how they're feeling. This is especially true of King Charles III.

Since he's been photographed practically since birth, the public has gotten a pretty good read on him — from his anxious behaviors to his frustrated eye contact. Body language expert Darren Stanton told the Mirror that as a prince, Charles displayed a "real lack of confidence, uneasiness and vulnerability"; however, since becoming king, his confidence has grown. Of course, confidence is not the only thing we can pick up from Charles' mannerisms, gestures, and behaviors. Over the years, a variety of experts have examined the prince-turned-king's body language. These are times when his body did all the talking.

In 1981, Prince Charles and Princess Diana posed for a photocall at the Craigowan Lodge at Balmoral. A series of photos were taken of the betrothed couple just two months ahead of their summer wedding — and their body language was already pointing to trouble. "During the engagement so many years ago, I could already see something wasn't quite right between Prince Charles and Lady Diana," body language expert Patti Wood explained to Reader's Digest.

The expert pointed out that Diana's arms and shoulders were stiff, and she diverted her attention away from Charles — and Charles didn't look any more comfortable. "She may be fearful of the cameras, but notice how Prince Charles [who arguably has been getting comfortable with cameras all his life], is also holding his arms stiffly by his side," Wood said. "It's as if these two already know their impending nuptials are a mistake, but they're powerless to do anything about it." Although Diana and Charles would ultimately see the wedding through, their marriage would end in an infamous divorce in 1996. 

When Queen Elizabeth II died on September 8, 2022, Prince Charles immediately took the throne and became known as His Majesty King Charles III. The queen's funeral was held after a period of mourning, and the new monarch let his body language do the talking during his attendance. During the singing of "God Save The King," the United Kingdom's national anthem, "a slight parting of his [Charles'] lips in a horizontal in-breath" could be observed, communication coach and CBT therapist Sonia Beldom told The Independent. "It is a sign of grief, which he is controlling brilliantly."

Beldom further explained that both Charles and his eldest son, Prince William, kept their composure. "A tiny sign of self-soothing is seen as they rub the top of their swords with their thumbs," she explained. "This is a mini version of massaging the thumb, which is a pacifying gesture."

Charles was also spotted subtly rocking during the service. "Rocking is often seen in times of high psychological distress and is an effective way of reducing anxiety and tension, promoting a sense of calm through stimulation of the vestibular system or balance centre," body language expert Katia Loisel told Yahoo! Lifestyle.

 

In 2023, King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort, attended the Royal Ascot and became particularly excited as their own horse, Desert Hero, competed. "These are spontaneous displays from the couple [Charles and Camilla] who not only reveal a hidden side to their personalities but contrasting responses, too," body language expert Judi James told Express. James explained that Camilla appeared more competitive, while "Charles is rather gentle in the way he urges his horse on and it's interesting that a display of more pent-up emotion at the win ended in a rather tearful look. He raises one fist but the hand is curled rather than squeezed into a fist and held quite low."

Despite their differing reactions, however, the expert noted that they both used the Royal Ascot as a way to let go of all the stress and anxiety they were experiencing — the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the coronation.