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King Charles hosted guests at Buckingham Palace’s first summer garden party of the season.

During the event held on May 6, 2026, several members of the royal family met with selected guests, who were being celebrated for their efforts of helping others, and thanked them for their work. And there was one visitor who was more than excited to be there and didn’t hide it.

Here’s more on that, plus what an expert said about the key gesture that makes King Charles and his sister, Princess Anne, so much alike.

Four-legged guest was very eager to meet King Charles

As the king and Princess Anne moved through the crowds gathered on the Palace lawn, they encountred a spaniel hearing dog named Vegas who was wagging her tail happily about the moment she saw the royals.

The 2-year-old pup leapt up and began licking the monarch’s hand and putting her paws on his morning suit. The king then began petting her on the head and asked, “They do hearing dogs too, now?”

Vegas was excited to see Anne as well and jumped up on the Princess Royal, who wanted to know, “Is it everyone or is it just me?”

Vegas’ owner later said, “She does jump up a little but everyone took it in stride … She’s a wonderful lady with all the work she does. I’m a teacher, and having Vegas has changed everything for me. It means she can alert me to things that are going on or alarms going off. And it means my son can leave me alone without worrying. It’s been life-changing.”

Expert says King Charles and Princess Anne acted very similar during the party

Darren Stanton is a body language expert. 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 has been dubbed the “Human Lie Detector.” Stanton now offers his expert analysis on high-profile public figures such as the royals.

Speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino, Stanton told Showbiz Cheat Sheet, “[Princess] Anne seemed really genuinely interested in talking to the lady and playing with the dog. I think there has always been a bit of a misconception about Anne being quite blunt, but she always comes across as very warm – just slightly more strict when it comes to royal protocol than the younger generation.”

Stanton continued, “All signs point towards her being genuinely interested in what the lady had to say. She leans in, has open palm gestures, and is energetic and playful in her interactions with the dog. All point towards her listening actively and being genuinely interested in the interaction. 

“She is very much like her mother in this respect. Much more stoic, reserved when it comes to royal protocol, and doesn’t suffer fools gladly. But when speaking to her in a one-on-one situation like this, she is incredibly warm and welcoming. She is clearly very good at building rapport.”

When speaking about Anne’s brother, Stanton added, “[King] Charles has become a real consummate professional these days. He used to be quite unsure of himself and we used to see that through his pacifying and self-soothing gestures. Now he is totally at ease and is very similar to Anne.

“He shows these open palm gestures, leans into conversations, and shows genuine interest. He also has a very strong sense of humor, and you can see that in his broad Duchenne smiles, which are reciprocated by those he is talking to.”

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

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