Experts Analyze Harry and William's Body Language at the Unveiling of Princess Diana's Statue
On their late mother's 60th birthday, Prince Harry and Prince William reunited to unveil a statue of Princess Diana, whose purpose is to "keep her memory alive." The statue is located in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, which was one of Princess Diana's favorite places (opens in new tab).
The brothers posted a joint statement (opens in new tab) after the event:
Today, on our mother's 60th birthday, we remember her love, strength, and character. Every day we wish she were still with us. It is our hope that this statue will forever be seen as a symbol of her life and her legacy. Thank you to Ian Rank-Broadley, Pip Morrison and their team for their amazing work, to the friends and donors who helped make this happen, and to all the people around the world who will keep my mother's memory alive. - Prince William and Prince Harry
Royal fans were eager to see how the brothers would behave around each other after numerous reports of cracks (opens in new tab) and tension (opens in new tab) between them. From the videos and photos of the brothers at the event, at first glance they appeared to be quite friendly. Body language expert and author of "Snap: Making the Most of First Impression, Body Language, and Charisma" (opens in new tab), Patti Wood, agrees.
Wood told Marie Claire that she was struck by the brothers' first appearance as they came down the stairs, using the same body language they have displayed for years. They both tilt their heads to the side, curving slightly to the side as they walk, one arm swinging down, the other signaling comfort over their stomachs.
Still, Wood says it's important to note that William and Harry didn't greet guests together like they used to.
"I have analyzed their behavior at events for over 20 years," Wood says, "and even when they were with their spouses and families, they were often very close to each other, taking turns greeting others." Harry is always last, but he and William are a few meters apart, and instead of distancing themselves this way (at events), it looks like William just happened to come down the stairs with a man he didn't know and went off to take care of his own business."
However, Wood The most interesting part of the story for Wood is the part after the brothers unveil the statue. Here, Harry gestures to one of the family members to come to his and William's side. At the same time, this moment highlights William's discomfort with being with his brother. See for yourself starting at 15:17 in the video above.
"[Prince Harry] vividly tried to get his brother's attention and engage him in conversation. Harry makes several gestures of reaching out his hand. Harry would take the woman in, but then step in front of her and show his whole body to his brother," Wood explains. This "invitation to play" demonstrates Harry's desire to connect with his brother. Prince William, on the other hand, has his entire front of his body turned only toward the statue, his shoulders rounded and his sides firmly down, and his head actually turned downward and away from his brother.
This is an obvious sign that Harry is more comfortable than William in the current situation, but at the end of the event, Harry has his hand on his stomach again as he plays with his wedding ring.
"It shows that he knows his marriage is stressing them out."
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