Wednesday 14 September 2022 09:44 PM The Queen: Body language expert reveals royals' emotions at sombre ... trends now
The women of the Royal Family all showed their grief in different ways as they attended Wednesday's lying-in-state service for Queen Elizabeth II, a body language expert has said.
On the most sombre day since The Queen's passing, Kate, the Princess of Wales, appeared silently grief-stricken as she followed the coffin from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall by car.
She was joined by Sophie, the Countess of Wessex - who 'swallowed back tears' - and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, who adopted a 'pitch-perfect expression' as they joined their husbands and other Royals for the service in the historic hall.
The Royal Family 'appeared as choreographed as flying geese for this appearance, walking in a very formal formation,' according to body language expert Judi James..
The Queen's coffin was draped with the Royal Standard and adorned with the glittering, priceless Imperial State Crown on a purple velvet cushion and a wreath of white flowers for the procession to the lying in state.
William, the Prince of Wales, and Harry, Duke of Sussex, again set aside their ongoing feud and stood next to each other as they accompanied their beloved grandmother to the Houses of Parliament.
The women of the Royal Family all showed their grief in different ways as they attended Wednesday's lying-in-state service for Queen Elizabeth II, a body language expert has said. Pictured: Kate, Princess of Wales (left) and Harry and Meghan - Duke and Duchess of Sussex (right) - are seen in Westminster hall of Wednesday
Ms James told the MailOnline that the formality of the occasion was only broken for a brief moment when Prince Harry and his wife Meghan 'held out their arms to hold hands as they filed out of the service behind William and Kate.'
She said: 'The gesture looked almost desperately necessary for them and they were the only couple to really acknowledge each other and fall out of formation. We saw how they are currently using this hand clasp as something of an emotional life-line.
'Meghan was using it to gently rub Harry’s hand with her thumb in a gesture of reassurance at Windsor and the likelihood was that it was used as a mutual support system here today.'
As the procession moved through the country's capital, Ms James said: 'There were very large spatial gaps between [the Royals], so no interaction of any kind, meaning they all appeared looking solitary and lost in reflection.
'Even the wives, who followed in their cars, seemed to be silent, both verbally and non-verbally. Kate sat beside Camilla in a pose of sadness and Sophie sat lost in grief-stricken reflection beside Meghan.
'When Kate entered the palace hall she did appear to be as silently grief-stricken as Sophie, with some heavy swallowing, pursed lips and narrow-looking eyes suggesting she was close to tears.
'There were no signs of socializing at all until they lined up to file out in couples.
'While the other royals sustained their air of silent formality, Harry and Meghan closed the gap between them. 'Their arm and hand gestures suggested they couldn’t wait to be back in literal touch again and rather than wait until their torsos were touching before they clasped hands they stretched their arms out to return to their signature ritual of closeness and comfort.'
