Body Language Experts Analyze Kate Middleton and Prince William at Archie's Christening
At least Meghan and Harry's sheer joy made up for Kate and William's uneasiness.
By Amanda Garrity
While Archie's christening didn't come with the fanfare that we've seen with previous royals, it still gave us what we really wanted: adorable photos of Meghan and Harry with their two-month-old baby. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, was christened on July 6 in a small ceremony at Windsor Castle's private chapel. Although the Queen and Prince Philip weren't present for the occasion, all of Meghan and Harry's closest family members were in attendance to celebrate little Archie.
By looking at the full family portrait, one thing's clear: Kate Middleton and Prince William are showing some serious signs of stress, according to Traci Brown, body language expert and author of Persuasion Point: Body Language and Speech for Influence. "They're unusually stiff even for royals," she explains. William, in particular, has his hands in a fig leaf position, indicating that he's uncomfortable and has his guard up. Patti Wood, body language expert and author of SNAP: Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language, and Charisma, agrees: "Prince William is normally fairly relaxed and happy in family settings. Here, he is stiff and pulled inward." Beyond his rigid hand gesture, he also has a dramatic facial expression. "He has a tight facial expression and pulling his forehead and cheeks downward, giving his nose and mouth a sour look," Wood explains.
Even though Kate is more prim and proper, both Brown and Wood note that she seems "more tense than usual." Given the recent speculation that there's a feud brewing between the Royal Fab Four, the uneasy body language could make sense. "Interestingly enough, Kate and William aren't leaning in towards each other or towards the family, for that matter," Brown says. This prompts two important questions: "Is there stress between the couple? Or between the family?" Their rigid body language tells us it could be a little bit of both.
As always, it's important to remember that body language tells us what's on someone's mind but not necessarily why. That means, according to Brown, we'll have to wait to see how events develop within the family to figure out why (or if) something is really brewing.
The silver lining: Meghan and Harry's sheer joy with baby Archie outweighs any supposed tension. "It's almost as if Meghan, Harry, and Archie are on their own little green island of happiness amid a tense family," Wood tells us. Even the couples overlapping shoulders signifies that they are a close family unit — tied at the hip, well shoulder, if you will — no matter what's going on around them.
If you're going choose a mental image to remember Archie's christening by, let it be this one. "This is exactly we'd all hope to see from a family at this occasion," says Brown. The way that she's looking at him for support as he's pulling her close with his hand on her arm "confirms that they're a team." Who cares about supposed family drama anyway when there's a sweet little baby around? Point proven.
Amanda Garrity Associate Lifestyle Editor As the Associate Lifestyle Editor for GoodHousekeeping.com, Amanda oversees gift guides and covers home, holidays, food, and other lifestyle news.
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