Prince William appeared to be using a subtle body language ‘trick’ to create a stronger connection with crowds during his solo trip to Cornwall – one that was also famously employed by his late mother, Princess Diana.
Watching the Prince interact with members of the public, body language expert Darren Stanton says William regularly lowers his height slightly when speaking to people, creating a more comfortable and equal interaction rather than appearing to tower over them.
Speaking to Betfair Casino, he highlights William’s relaxed posture, open gestures and symmetrical handshakes, while also pointing to the incredibly positive reactions from members of the public as evidence of the strong rapport he creates.
Genuinely comfortable
Stanton says William’s natural eye contact and lack of defensive body language suggest he is genuinely comfortable engaging with people, with his approach helping to create a mutual and authentic connection.
Stanton said: “What really stands out is Prince William’s posture and the way he interacts with the public.
“He has a naturally tall frame, but what’s interesting is that he often reduces his height when speaking to people.
“It’s a very subtle gesture, but it’s something Princess Diana was also known for doing, lowering herself slightly so that people feel more comfortable and creating a stronger sense of connection rather than towering over them.
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Happy to engage
“His posture is also relaxed and open, and he appears very comfortable moving through the crowd without creating a physical barrier between himself and the public.”
Stanton added: “There’s a real sense that he is happy to engage with people directly, and his body language doesn’t show any obvious signs of defensiveness or discomfort.
“What’s also really interesting is the reaction from the public, their facial expressions are incredibly positive.
“We can see genuine smiles, with the cheek muscles engaged and the eyes involved, which are all classic indicators of authentic happiness.
“His handshakes are also quite revealing from a body language perspective.
“William consistently uses what we would describe as a symmetrical handshake, where both people have a similar posture and level of pressure.
No power moves
“There’s no attempt to place his hand over the other person’s or manipulate the interaction.
“Sometimes a public figure will put their hand on top of someone else’s, which can be interpreted as a dominance gesture, while having the hand underneath can give the other person more power.
“With William, we don’t really see those power moves. The handshake is much more mutual and symmetrical.
“There’s no sense that he is putting on a particular performance or trying to control the interaction.
“He maintains good eye contact, lowers his height slightly to build rapport and uses open, relaxed gestures throughout.
“You also don’t see any obvious signs of tension, defensiveness or those more socially masked smiles.
“His facial expressions appear very genuine, and his body language suggests that he genuinely enjoys interacting with members of the public.
“He gives them his full attention and that is clearly reciprocated by the public, because you can see just how elated people are to meet him.”
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