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During a recent appearance, Prince William showered his wife, Kate Middleton, with sweet words, with one royal expert noting he praised her “to the roof.” When William officially passed the title of colonel of the Irish Guards regiment to her, he spoke highly of Kate.

Prince William praises wife Kate Middleton while wearing a uniform
Prince William and Kate Middleton | Chris Jackson – WPA Pool/Getty Images

Prince William praised Kate Middleton during a St. Patrick’s Day parade speech

On March 17, William and Kate attended the St. Patrick’s Day parade at Mons Barracks. William officially passed along the title of colonel of the Irish Guards to his wife.

Prince William spoke highly of his wife at the event — a moment that wasn’t lost on royal biographer Angela Levin.

She told GB News, “He said she would be very dutiful and she would be very hardworking. He praised her to the roof.”

Levin continued, “And when she went on, she said how grateful she was and she thought it was a real honor. I just thought it was really nice royal behavior of actually admiring each other and moving on.”

William delivered a speech to the Irish Guards, noting that he had a lot of memories of when he served as colonel between 2011 and December 2022.

“I may be stepping aside, but in Colonel Catherine, you have a committed, focused, and an already incredibly loyal 11th colonel,” he said.

“As you serve together over the years ahead, know that I will continue to watch you with huge pride in having been one of you,” he added.

Royal expert pointed out the significance of Kate’s outfit at the event

Kate spoke at the event as well, saying, “I really couldn’t be prouder to stand in front of you here today. It really is a true honor to be your colonel.”

She added, “I am here to listen to you, to support you, and to champion you in all you do — this is a responsibility I do not take lightly.”

Levin further noted how Kate seemed to pay tribute to the Irish Guards with her coat dress. “The way he passed [the title] over, the way he looked at her, what she dressed like — was absolutely stunning, I thought,” she said.

The royal expert added, “She had four buttons on her coat, then a gap, and then four buttons. That’s exactly the same as the uniform that the Irish Guards wear, which I thought was an incredibly nice touch.”

Kate Middleton visited a training area to learn from the Irish Guards

On March 8, Kate visited the Salisbury Plain Training Area to meet with the 1st Battalion Irish Guards during a training exercise.

Body language expert Judi James provided an analysis of Kate’s gestures and expressions during the appearance, telling Express that the princess appeared “stoic” and “resilient.”

“On International Womens Day, Kate has chosen to illustrate the kind of stoic, resilient body language under pressure that both the queen and Princess Anne have always been famous for,” James said.

She continued, “Sent to Salisbury Plain in the snow and sludge she gets stuck into this visit wearing an expression of seriousness and determination.”

James also pointed out how Kate didn’t play up her appearance for the cameras. “It might be a photo opportunity for the press, but she doesn’t seem to be acting or playing for the cameras,” she said.

The body language expert added, “Being instructed how to deal with a casualty, her eye gaze and her firm facial expression suggest she’s absorbing every word and happy to join in.”

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