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Find out why a body language expert thinks we’re seeing more PDA than ever before from the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Since 2025 began, there’s been a lot of news from the former working royals in Montecito and the working royals in England.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle started the year off with some bad publicity when they were photographed surveying the damage to properties belonging to people who lost everything in the California wildfires and were dubbed “disaster tourists.” In February, the pair headed north to attend the 2025 Invictus Games in Canada. Then in March, the duchess’s lifestyle show With Love, Meghan premiered on Netflix.
Meanwhile, the Princess of Wales (formerly known as Kate Middleton) began the year visiting the same hospital where she was treated for her cancer and announced that she is in remission. She and Prince William have been seen out at a few engagements in the U.K. lately as well and some have noticed that when together, they’re doing more of what so used to seeing from the Sussexes.
Here’s why an expert says William and Kate may be packing on the PDA more now.
Why the Waleses have decided to increase their PDA and are acting more like the Sussexes
Darren Stanton is a body language and behavioral expert with a degree in psychology. He previously worked as a police officer and used his expertise to uncover the truth when interviewing hundreds of suspects. He later moved into media and TV as a consultant and has been dubbed the “Human Lie Detector.”
Speaking on behalf of Spin Genie, Stanton noted that Prince William and Kate’s “public displays of affection have certainly increased recently, and it is similar to what we have seen from the Sussexes in the past. Whether that is them following Meghan and Harry’s lead or just being natural after a tumultuous year? It is tough to say.
“We have seen shots recently of Kate resting her head on William’s chest and the interaction while they were making Welsh cakes last week was very affectionate. They are clearly leaning on each other for support more publicly. There is a chance that this is because they feel all the affection Harry and Meghan show to each other has given them a pass to relax slightly when it comes to traditional royal protocol.”
Prince William and Kate also increased other gestures we’re not used to seeing from the royals
The expert also discussed something else he’s been seeing from William and Kate called “illustrators.”
According to Stanton, “What we are seeing from William and Kate is an increased level of illustrators. Illustrators are gestures that show us how people are feeling internally, royals historically have tried to limit these but William and Kate are changing this …
“Whatever the reason, I think we will certainly be seeing them continue to be more open with their affection for each other in the future.”
Showbiz Cheat Sheet acknowledges conditions and cultures can impact body language and is sensitive to all backgrounds.
