What Prince William and Kate Did to Put ‘Very Fidgety,’ ‘Nervous’ Nigerian First Lady at Ease During State Visit

King Charles and Queen Camilla have officially welcomed Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady of Nigeria Oluremi Tinubu for their state visit to the U.K.

Prior to the ceremonial welcome, Prince William and the Princess of Wales (formerly known as Kate Middleton) carried out the duty of greeting the president and his wife at the luxury hotel Fairmont Windsor Park. The prince and princess then escorted their guests to the town center to meet the king and queen.

Now, an expert is explaining how the president and first lady appeared nervous upon their arrival, but the Waleses are becoming pros at these state visits and knew just what to do to put everyone’s mind at “ease.”

How William and Kate quickly put the Nigerian president and his wife at ‘ease’

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.”

Speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino, Stanton told Showbiz Cheat Sheet, “Kate and William are very authentic and grounded with genuine smiles. The Nigerian President’s wife seemed slightly nervous. She was very fidgety with her hands which is a key tell. 

“She and the president seemed slightly overwhelmed to begin with, but Kate and William’s warm smiles, their matching and mirroring of the president and his wife, and their consistent open palm gestures quickly put them at ease, and the signs of nervousness diminished.”

The expert also noted that Queen Camilla showed “genuine” signs of “warmth” towards the guests, and that she and first lady “both seem to be very much in the same frame of mind. They are clearly getting on with each other well. Both of their cheeks are raised in genuine smiles. They are sharing the same focus and are matching each other’s gestures. Everything suggests a relationship that is already centered around warmth and genuine enjoyment of each other’s company.”

King Charles and President Tinubu showed they have a good rapport with each other

Stanton added that “The Nigerian President seemed a bit confused by the fact he was having to inspect the guards. He had a slightly bemused and maybe even amused expression as walked down the line. The king seemed to share this amusement, with the corners of his mouth curling into a slight smile at points. This combined by their strong matching and mirroring throughout the presentation, suggests a strong rapport and connection.

“President  Tinubu also consistently places his hands in front of him when speaking to the king. This is a real sign of respect and further confirms their growing bond. The king is leading their walk, which is to be expected of a host, but he allows the president to lead the conversation. He also leans his head in and furrows his brow in concentration when the President is speaking, showing genuine interest.”

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