Exclusive:
As the Prince and Princess of Wales prepare to enjoy the festive period with loved ones at the Sandringham estate, a body language expert has shed some light on their telling Christmas card, including a poignant gesture by Princess Charlotte
The Prince and Princess of Wales have now arrived in Sandringham for a Christmas holiday with their fellow senior royals after what has proven to be a particularly difficult year for the family.
They will, of course, be joined by children Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six, who, earlier this year, had to process the news of their mother’s cancer diagnosis.
Back in March, mum-of-three Kate addressed the nation in a poignant video message as she announced she was undergoing a course of preventative chemotherapy and would be taking a step back from her royal duties.
In her heartfelt message, Kate spoke of the “comfort and reassurance” provided to her by her husband, Prince William, and their shared anguish at telling their three young children about her cancer “in a way that is appropriate for them”.
In the months that followed, Kate kept well-wishers updated with her progress and in September, to the delight of many, she announced she was cancer-free. Then, last week, she and William shared their annual Christmas card, which an expert believes sheds light on Princess Charlotte’s true feelings about her mother’s shock diagnosis.
The sweet card features a photo many fans may recognise from the family’s video update back in September when Kate revealed she had completed her course of chemotherapy and would be resuming her public duties. The snap, which is taken from the footage, shows the couple with their three children in Norfolk and sees middle child Charlotte with her arm wrapped protectively around Kate.
Speaking with The Mirror, renowned body language expert Judi James noted: “Charlotte is seen with protective arms around her mother and brother, almost clinging them together. William holds his arm around Louis, but his hand is gently cupping Kate’s thigh. Kate’s rituals also look protective as she places one arm around her children with the other reaches for her husband and younger son.”
Picking up on telling details from the rest of the card, Judi revealed: “With William and Kate’s card, we have a facing the camera, close up view of what looks like very open and honestly shared emotions from both parents and children. This is the family image we saw in Kate’s video update of her illness, and the body language here is nuanced and complex enough to gently hint at everything they have been going through.”
Earlier this month, during an interaction at her Christmas Carol Concert at Westminster Abbey, Princess Kate also reflected on all she and her family had been through in 2024. While speaking with singer Paloma Faith, Kate shared: “I didn’t know this year was going to be the year I’ve just had.” When Faith replied, “The unplanned”, Kate responded: “The unplanned, exactly. But I think lots of people this year have had such challenging times.”
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