TL;DR:
- Prince William paid tribute to King Charles III at the May 7 coronation concert.
- He made a brief speech in which he appeared to make his father laugh and nearly come to tears, according to a body language expert.
- Prince William took the stage with a “slightly naughty and knowing smile” on his face.
Coronation weekend included a speech from Prince William at the May 7 Windsor Castle coronation concert. The Prince of Wales honored his father, King Charles III, making the newly-crowned leader of the royal family seemingly “crack up” with laughter and tears.
William had a ‘slightly naughty and knowing smile’ as he took the coronation concert stage to pay tribute to King Charles
Body language expert Judi James offered her analysis of William’s coronation concert speech, looking closely at his movements and facial expressions. Princess Charlotte may have reacted adorably to seeing her father take the stage but, as James told Mirror, William’s smile hinted at what he had in store.
“William’s puckered, slightly naughty and knowing smile as he stepped to the front of the stage suggested his speech was going to make a few well-timed points,” she said. “His body language was more dramatic, confident, and emphatic than usual.”
Additionally, “his use of over 20 precision gestures as he spoke showed how determined he was to make his points land.”
King Charles appeared to ‘crack up’ at William’s coronation concert speech
William’s coronation concert speech seemed to tick the boxes of funny and heartfelt for his father. First came the humorous remark.
“With Kate beaming proudly from the royal box and even seeming to call out to him, regardless of the fact that he was a very long distance away, William started with a clunky joke,” James said.
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“I want to say a few words about my father, and why I believe this weekend is so important,” William began. “But don’t worry, unlike Lionel [Richie], I won’t go on all night long,” he added, referencing the song from the singer and American Idol judge who had just performed.
William’s joke “nevertheless made his father crack up,” James said. Later, William ended his speech “with a line that made Charles crack up again, only with threatening tears rather than laughter.”
“Pa, we’re all so proud of you,” William said, which James noted might’ve “had extra meaning after some of [Prince] Harry’s criticisms.”
“Charles tried to keep his composure by holding his hands in a finger steeple that signals control and status,” the body language expert said. “But he clasped them instead and his eyes closed as though holding in the tears.”
Charles seemingly thanked William at the coronation ceremony on May 6
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8HVnAXZI1I
Prior to his coronation concert speech, William paid homage to his father at Westminster Abbey following the official crowning. The heir to the throne, or first in the line succession, William knelt before King Charles and recited the Homage of Royal Blood.
William said: “I, William, Prince of Wales, pledge my loyalty to you and faith and truth I will bear unto you, as your liege man of life and limb. So help me God.”
From there, William touched the St. Edward’s Crown on his father’s head and kissed his cheek. King Charles, who later swapped the crown for a different one, seemingly replied, “Thank you, William.”
Showbiz Cheat Sheet acknowledges conditions and cultures can impact body language and is sensitive to all backgrounds.
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