Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle Use a Similar ‘Maternal’ Gesture With William and Harry, Says Body Language Expert
Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle aren’t afraid to show their love for their husbands Prince William and Prince Harry. The couples often share a loving gaze or quick pat on the back to convey support and devotion. A body language expert says Kate and Meghan both use a “maternal” gesture with their spouses, but one of them is less inhibited when it comes to the move.
Meghan Markle shows more PDA than Kate Middleton
Body language expert Judi James shared her analysis with Express. Both Kate and Meghan are demonstrative when it comes to communicating affection to their partners. However, James says Meghan tends to be more affectionate.
“Meghan famously has less inhibitions about defining her relationship with Harry,” says James. “If they are not touching, hugging, or holding hands in public, she can often be seen instigating signals of touch and affection.”
Kate and Meghan give ‘maternal’ touches
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Kate tends to be reserved when it comes to affection. James says this is likely because she must stick to royal protocol (although sometimes Kate breaks protocol during royal events). However, she has been slightly more affectionate with William lately. For example, she was seen during the Earthshot Prize Awards giving Prince William loving pats on the back.
James says both Meghan and Kate practice this gesture, which can be a “maternal” movement. James says Meghan engages in this back-patting gesture spontaneously. Since she is no longer a working royal, she’s free to be more expressive.
“Kate has become more relaxed about her PDAs with William recently but her background with him was, again, inhibited by royal protocols,” says James. “Both Kate and Meghan share their love of small back touches or pats that can often look like gestures of almost maternal reassurance and affection for their husbands.”
James goes on to say Kate’s gestures also demonstrate strength. During the royal Boston trip she often placed her hand on the small of William’s back. James refers to this as a “steering gesture.” According to her, this movement “suggests she is becoming the central strength of both her own family and the royal firm.”
Kate Middleton uses body language to show support for Prince William
Kate uses supportive touch to communicate love and support for William. James tells Fabulous (via The Sun) that Kate relies on the “fig-leaf pose” and the “adoring gaze” when she interacts with Prince William. According to James, the fig-leaf pose is a gesture William often relied on, and Kate mirrors this pose to show support.
“In the years before he met Kate, William was often seen performing what is known as the fig-leaf pose, with his hands clasped in front of his torso at roughly the same place as a fig leaf would sit on a classical nude statue,” says James during her interview with The Sun. “Mirroring signals like-minded thinking and in Kate’s case the way she mimics his pose and makes it look much more elegant and less anxious helps to make William look less defensive or barriered by proxy.”
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