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Unlike some other members of the royal family, the Princess of Wales (formerly known as Kate Middleton) hasn’t been carrying out public engagements her whole life. But over the years, she’s become one of the most confident royals whenever she’s out and about attending events. And according to an expert, the princess has adopted the perfect trick that she uses to connects with the crowds of people who gather to see her no matter if she’s by herself or alongside Prince William.

Here’s more on what Kate does to “work a crowd” even when she’s not with the future king.

Kate is so confident these days that she can work a crowd even during a solo visit

Darren Stanton is a body language and behavioral expert with a degree in psychology. He previously worked as a police officer and used his expertise to uncover the truth when interviewing hundreds of suspects. He later moved into media and TV as a consultant and has been dubbed the “Human Lie Detector.”

Stanton spoke about Kate’s recent visit to Suffolk and how her confidence these days is so high that she can expertly work a crowd with or without her royal husband.

Speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino, Stanton told Showbiz Cheat Sheet: “It was a fantastic walk around from Kate. She’s so genuine and authentic, which is why people have really warmed to her over the years. She’s very reminiscent of [Princess] Diana. One of the main differences in Kate is that she’s much more confident in front of a crowd. If you look at Kate now, she spends so much more time interacting with the public.

“From a non-verbal point of view, Kate has got a really good handshake — you can see that in a tight shot of her shaking hands with someone. A tight handshake denotes confidence. From a standpoint of non-verbal posture, we don’t see any negative signs from her; there’s no folded arms. She’s also got great eye contact.”

The expert shared what the princess does to make sure she’s engaged with whoever she’s talking to in the crowd.

“When she’s speaking to a member of the public, Kate leans to their level to build trust, rapport, and connection,” Stanton said. “She’s quite tall so she doesn’t just stand at her height; she bends down to meet them and greet them at their eye level to make them feel comfortable. In terms of facial expressions, Kate engages with people head-on, and tries to chat with as many people as possible. She comes across very confident and knows how to work a crowd without William’s support. She is very genuine and authentic here. She’s a great communicator.”

Reason for the princess’s confidence

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Stanton says he believes the reason for Kate’s confidence is because she believes she’s earned it.

“Kate hasn’t always been super confident. When photographed during her early days with William, she would often look nervous,” Stanton recalled per Betfair Slots. “During their engagement video, she was conscious of how she came across on camera. We saw Kate and William looking at each other quite a lot, which was to reassure each other and give each other support.” 

Stanton continued, “In recent years, Kate has found ways to make herself feel more confident and the ability to take control alone … When we see her appear at premieres, anniversaries and royal events, we see her glide along, which is a clear sign that Kate feels powerful and important. She believes she has earned her place.

“It’s very similar to the way Princess Anne portrays herself in public. There are a lot of similarities between them as they always maintain eye contact and display strong posture when on duty. The way they carry themselves through their external gestures and communication skills shows they feel empowered and dominant.” 

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

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