Skip to main content

Prince Harry has been spilling family secrets, and a body language expert noticed that the Duke of Sussex consistently shows signs of “anger” and “outrage” when discussing his stepmother, Queen Consort Camilla Parker Bowles. Here’s what Harry has been saying about Camilla, and what the expert observed.

Composite photo of Prince Harry and his stepmother, Queen Consort Camilla Parker Bowles.
Prince Harry and Queen Consort Camilla Parker Bowles | CBS/CBS Photo Archive; Karwai Tang/WireImage

Prince Harry recently opened up about King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla 

Prince Harry’s new memoir, Spare, is scheduled for release on Jan. 10. Several news outlets have already leaked portions of the controversial book after it was accidentally shelved early in Spain. 

In his memoir, the Duke of Sussex opens up about the royal family, including his father, King Charles, and his stepmother, Camilla Parker Bowles. Prince Harry has also discussed his family in recent interviews, including on 60 Minutes with Anderson Cooper and on ITV with Tom Bradby.

King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla have had a roller coaster of a relationship for years. They had a romance before Charles married Princess Diana, and an affair during Charles and Diana’s marriage. After divorcing their respective spouses, Diana died tragically in a car accident while fleeing the paparazzi. Charles and Camilla emerged as a couple a year later, and they married in 2005.

“She was the villain,” Harry said of his stepmother in his 60 Minutes interview. “She was the third person in the marriage. She needed to rehabilitate her image.”

The Duke of Sussex also admitted that he and his brother, Prince William, asked their father not to marry Parker Bowles. “We didn’t think it was necessary,” he explained. “We thought that it was gonna cause more harm than good. And that if he was now with his person, that surely that’s enough? Why go that far when you don’t necessarily need to?”

Prince Harry showed signs of ‘anger’ when discussing King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla, says body language expert

Speaking on behalf of Betfair Bingo, body language expert Darren Stanton revealed what he observed during Prince Harry’s conversations with Anderson Cooper and Tom Bradby. Stanton said Harry displayed signs of “anger” while discussing King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla, and that the prince has “unresolved issues” with his father and stepmother. 

“Harry’s body language was most noticeable when speaking about his relationship with Camilla,” the expert shared. “While discussing it in his ITV interview, Harry took a deep breath and bit his lip, which proves he is being cautious over what he is saying. However, he did not hold back in saying that he and William both did not want his father to marry her, as we saw anger in his eyes.”

Stanton added, “Harry clearly feels that there are unresolved issues between him, Camilla, and his father.”

The Duke of Sussex consistently exhibits ‘outrage’ when discussing his stepmother

Darren Stanton said that Prince Harry’s body language is “consistent” when discussing King Charles, Queen Consort Camilla, and Prince William. The Duke of Sussex appears particularly angry when speaking about his stepmother. 

“His body language is quite consistent when speaking about Camilla, his father, and brother, apart from a few exceptions,” the expert said. “Harry does seem to have an extra layer of anger when he speaks about her.”

Stanton said this is likely because Harry unknowingly reverts to the feelings he had when he was younger. “You can see it in his face that his unconscious mind was re-firing all of the emotions he felt back in his younger years. From a non-verbal point of view, this is apparent as he flashed a number of micro-expressions of outrage.”

Showbiz Cheat Sheet acknowledges conditions and cultures can impact body language and is sensitive to all backgrounds.