The Princess of Wales made a gesture of polite concern to an anxious Queen Consort Camilla at Remembrance Sunday today, a body language expert has claimed.
The two royal women stood on the balcony of the Foreign Office, overlooking the Cenotaph, where wreaths were laid by King Charles and other royals to honour the nation's war dead for the first time since the death of the Queen.
There was a poignant empty space on the balcony, where the late monarch had stood to watch the emotional service in previous years when Charles, then Prince of Wales, would lay a wreath on her behalf.
They both wore elegant black coats and hats and each had three poppies pinned to them as well as diamond brooches.
And according to body language expert Judi James, it was clear it was a nerve-wracking occasion for Camilla during her first service as Queen - with Kate on hand to provide an air of calm.
Judi told the Mirror: "Watching from the balcony Camilla combined signals of regal duty with some rituals of anxiety.
"Standing beside Kate, she performed a subtle smile of acknowledgement as her wreath was laid and as she turned to Kate on their way from the balcony she threw a rather fond smile as Kate spoke to her.
"Camilla smiled at Kate for a second time before nodding, again in a gesture of acknowledgement as she walked ahead of Kate in her new role of Queen.
"Otherwise though there were gestures of open anxiety from Camilla. She looked unable to keep totally still and spoke to Kate at one point but while looking straight ahead rather than turning to her.
"Kate turned her head quickly in a gesture of polite concern. Kate’s calm and very still body language was in contrast to Camilla’s nervous movements that showed the most in the fluttering of her hymn sheet as her two hands fiddled with it throughout."
Meanwhile, Judi also noted Charles' body language during the service and the subtle signal he had to suppress his emotion.
She added: "Charles stood at the Cenotaph as though totally alone and lost in his thoughts. His mouth was pulled down at the corners and his rapid blinking hinted he was close to tears as he remembered his mother as well as those fallen in action.
"There was even a micro-gesture of a small spasm of the lips to show suppressed emotions as they played the Last Post."
The Queen, who died just nine weeks ago at the age of 96, considered Remembrance Sunday, which commemorates the war dead, one of the most significant and important engagements in the royal calendar.
The nation’s longest reigning monarch, who lived through the Second World War as a teenager and was head of the armed forces, only missed seven Cenotaph services during her reign, including last year due to a back sprain.
