Prince William and Kate Middleton have 'grown and developed in confidence' over the past decade, according to a body language expert. It's been a tough year for Wills and Kate, but they were better prepared to deal with it than ever before, or at least that's what behavioural expert Darren Stanton thinks.
He said that the royal couple displayed tell-tale signs of confidence during a recent outing in Swansea, and commented on their 'public displays of affection'. Darren analysed footage of the outing against a similar clip from Swansea ten years ago, and said the difference in how they held themselves is staggering.
What do you think about Prince William and Kate Middleton? Let us know in the comments...
Speaking on behalf of Betfair Bingo, Darren said: "In the decade that Kate has been attending official events with William she did not always exude the levels of confidence that she does now.
"She has very much grown and developed into her own person and a significant member of the royal family. When we look at her clothing from 2011, her outfits were not as coordinated and her body language was definitely not as self-assured.
"She used to make lots more nervous gestures, like biting her lip or crossing her arms to the front. A person would often make this gesture in order to take up as little space as possible, which is psychologically saying I want to make myself as invisible as possible.
"However, while analysing their recent visit to Wales, Kate donned her favourite colour of red, which I often refer to as her superhero colour.
"Most superheroes wear uniforms of red or blue - primary colours that denote power. Kate always looks very striking in red or blue, which works well when representing the royal family.
"On this type of walk around event, where she had to interact with members of the public and civil dignitaries, Kate obviously opted for red to signify power and a complete confidence in herself."
Darren said that Prince William has also grown in confidence, and had adopted certain gestures from his father, King Charles.
He continued: "William has also developed greatly in his levels of confidence and gravitas, especially in the last few years. He previously adopted similar gestures to that of his father King Charles, and would often come across as anxious or nervous.
"During the first engagement with Kate, he was seen playing with cufflinks on his shirt - something Charles is often seen doing.
"This is a self-reassurance gesture, which basically means he wasn't very confident in the situation. The other key gesture that Prince William has inherited from his father is placing his hand inside his jacket.
"Nowadays, we do not see nearly as many self-reassurance gestures that William used to make. This proves he has grown in confidence and is secure within his position as Prince of Wales and future King."
Darren added that one of the most notable differences is that Prince William and Kate are no longer joined at the hip, and have carved out their own style on royal outings.
He continued: "Although Kate has always had a certain degree of personal confidence, she was often seen turning to William for reassurance during their early years as a royal.
"We saw her holding William's arm a lot more, which is a comfort gesture that people tend to do when they feel a little uneasy or unnerved. We also didn't see her engage with others as much as she does now, like most people that are in a new job or role.
"I think she was very much carving out her own style of how she wanted to be with members of the public in being William's wife.
"It's clear Kate now considers her mode of address very carefully. Judging by her recent body language and eye contact, she is much more at ease when talking to members of the public.
"It's very rare that she will hang on to William's arm when attending various events. In fact, it's quite common for Kate to stride ahead of William and speak to people on her own, whilst William speaks to other officials.
"They are no longer joined at the hip as perhaps the perception might've shown a decade ago.
"Another major development in the couple's body language is public displays of affection and their ability to openly interact with each other. We now see the couple engage where appropriate, even kissing each other at certain events.
"This is something that they may have steered clear of during their earlier engagements, despite being newly married.
"While their marriage has clearly developed, Kate's relationship with William's family has also grown. She often attends events with other members of the senior royal family, like Camilla and Princess Anne.
"She obviously has a deep respect and true affection for them, which has grown throughout her time in the royal family. I have analysed their interactions on previous occasions and all of Kate's smiles and gestures are genuine, so she really does have a great relationship with William's family."
Do you have a story to sell? Get in touch with us at yourmirror@mirror.co.uk
