Kate Middleton's Parenting Methods With Prince Louis: Body Language

Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee 2022 - Platinum Jubilee Pageant — (Image credit: Photo by Chris Jackson / Getty)

As has often been remarked, Kate Middleton is kind of a natural around children.

Whenever she meets a group of kids during official engagements, she always crouches down to speak to them on their level, rather than towering over them (I don't know about you, but I remember being terrified of adults who did this as a kid).

And as good as she is with other people's children, the Duchess of Cambridge regularly demonstrates what a wonderful parent she is to her own brood, George, Charlotte and Louis.

Nowhere did we see this more than in the way she reacted to Prince Louis' antics during the Jubilee celebrations, as body language expert Darren Stanton points out.

"From hugging Louis as he grew restless, to smiling energetically at the youngster—who was clearly loving the attention—as he performed alongside her, it was clearly important for Kate to engage with her children, especially as it would have been a very long day for them," Stanton tells Marie Claire on behalf of Slingo.

"At times, we saw Louis grow irritable and while him playing up made for some very comical photos, Kate—and William too—were on hand to ensure their brood [behaved]," the expert continues.

Stanton went on to explain how the duchess builds trust with her youngest son, rather than being seen purely as an authority figure. "As Kate interacted with Louis you’ll notice that she positions her face very close to him, she also bends her head to reduce her height while interacting with him—such a gesture is one of a nurturing nature, it allows her to build a deep rapport with her son," he says.

"Being the same height and being able to maintain eye contact ensures Kate can give Louis the reassurance and support he needs as an individual. It’s a powerful way of building trust in a motherly role."

Middleton made sure not to get visibly angry as Prince Louis pulled faces, shushed her and otherwise acted up. "Kate made sure to respond in a calm and reassuring manner," Stanton explains.

But that doesn't mean she accepted all of her four-year-old's behavior. "Kate has a few gestures that tell the children enough is enough, like holding out her hands to encourage Louis to stop," Stanton says.

"She leans in towards Louis to address him directly, before leaning away and directing her attention elsewhere as he continues to show him that she will not accept the way he is behaving."

The expert also saw how much love and affection the duchess clearly has for her young son throughout the Jubilee—and it's pretty undeniable, even if you're not a trained body language reader.

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Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of British Vogue, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29 and SELF. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.