In a message to the nation marking Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, the monarch announced that it was her “sincere wish” that the Duchess of Cornwall gains this new title when Prince Charles ascends the throne. Body language expert Judi James weighed in on how Prince William may feel about the woman who married his father.
Although Princess Diana passed away more than two decades ago, she left a chasm in the nation’s heart, and in the hearts of her sons, Princes William and Harry.
At the time of his mother’s death, young Prince William was only 15-years-old.
“William experienced his mother’s anguish and pain during the break-up of her marriage more than anyone else and he must also have witnessed the role that having ‘three of us in this marriage’ played in that anguish first-hand.”
His mother had been honest with them about the reason for the divorce.
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In an interview with Martin Bashir in 1995, Princess Diana had stated: “William asked me what had been going on, and could I answer his questions, which I did. He said, was that the reason why our marriage had broken up?
“And I said, well, there were three of us in this marriage, and the pressure of the media was another factor, so the two together were very difficult.”
Princess Diana was unlike many royals in that she wore her heart on her sleeve and opted against displaying a stiff upper lip.
Exceptionally close to her sons, she was not just a royal undertaking duties but a very present mother, frequently seen on the school run, taking the boys to theme parks, or famously, competing in their school’s sports day.
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Possible tensions have yielded over time, Judi claimed: “Since then, like everything else about Camilla, there has been a public thawing and signals of an almost affectionate-looking acceptance.
“Like the Queen, William is now regularly seen smiling and chatting to Camilla in public, although the relationship behind the scenes is more difficult to gauge.”
However, despite his acceptance, there may be some residual discomfort surrounding the relationship and the memories it conjures up for the Prince, the expert claimed.
“While Camilla has often been seen grinning at William and chatting to him to create signals of active engagement in public, William has historically looked polite rather than overly friendly.
“Even more recently when he has kissed Camilla on the cheek his mouth can seem to be turned down at the corners rather than rising up in a smile of relaxed happiness and it tends to be her eye and face-creasing grins at him that create the impression of closeness and friendship.”
