King Charles displayed a subtle 'cut-off' gesture as he travelled past well-wishers on his way to Westminster Abbey.
The King and Queen Camilla have left Buckingham Palace to cheers from the waiting crowds in The Mall as the moment of their the Coronation ceremony drew closer.
Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, body language expert Judi James said the pair looked slightly tense as they took their ride to the historic occasion.
She said: "Sitting almost squashed together in the small coach, with the proximity creating some sense of reassurance, Charles and Camilla’s body language here looked sweetly apprehensive and friendly, rather than regal. There were at least four signs of ongoing tension.
"Charles’s wave was a world away from the formal and rather haughty version his mother used at her coronation. His was brief and involved a waggling of the hand, to suggest lower status.
"When Charles dropped his hand from the wave he also dropped his head and at least once he looked down to inspect the palm of his hand. This would have provided a cut-off gesture, suggesting anxiety.
"When his hands clasped there was a gentle, self-comfort thumb-rub gesture. Camilla’s self-touches. Her hand rose to check her hair and her earrings at one point
"Their smiles were also tense, with tight-looking lips.'"
Charles and Camilla waved to thousands of spectators lining the street as leading figures began to join members of the congregation in Westminster Abbey.
The list of 2,300 invited guests reads like a who’s who of politics, showbusiness, world leaders and foreign royalty, with a sprinkling of everyday heroes and close family and friends of the King and his wife.
French President Emmanuel Macron was attending to show his “friendship, respect and esteem” for the UK, with US singer-songwriter Lionel Richie, The Repair Shop’s Jay Blades, and the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children.
The Duke of Sussex has arrived at the abbey, but the Duchess of Sussex has remained at home in the US.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will give a reading, Charles’s grandson and future head of state Prince George will act as one of his pages of honour alongside three other schoolboys, while Camilla will be attended by her three grandsons and her great-nephew.
Earlier, the royal couple left Buckingham Palace in the Diamond Jubilee State Coach after spending the night at Clarence House and headed along the procession route to the Abbey to be crowned.
The pair waved to the crowds as they passed by in the coach, with the route lined with thousands of wellwishers and military personnel.
The coronation ceremony will end at 1pm and the newly crowned King and Queen will begin the procession back to Buckingham Palace in the gold state coach.
Some 4,000 sailors, soldiers, aviators and other military personnel from across the UK and the Commonwealth will accompany Charles and Camilla on their return procession. There will be more than 1,000 route liners from the Army, RAF and Royal Navy.
Charles and Camilla are expected to enter Buckingham Palace through the centre arch at 1.33pm.
They will receive a salute from the military in the palace gardens at 1.45pm, and then at about 2.15pm they will be joined by members of the royal family on the palace balcony to watch the flypast.
