Kate Middleton in Copenhagen Shows She's "Here to Do Business," Body Language Expert Says
She has her power color on.
It's been a hot second since we've seen the Cambridges on an official trip abroad. After Prince William visited the UAE a couple of weeks ago, Kate Middleton set off for Denmark on Feb. 22 for a royal tour focused on early childhood, one of the duchess' dearest causes.
On day one of her visit, the Duchess of Cambridge visited the University of Copenhagen, more specifically the Copenhagen Infant Mental Health Project (CIMHP). "The Copenhagen Infant Mental Health Project aims to promote the mental wellbeing of parents and their children - and the relationship between them," Kensington Palace wrote on Instagram.
For the occasion, the duchess wore a bright red double-breasted tweed blazer from Zara (via the Daily Mail), professional and regal with padded shoulders and golden buttons. She paired the standout piece with a frilly-collared white blouse by ME + EM, straight-legged black pants and pointy black block-heeled pumps by Gianvito Rossi. She accessorized with a mini handbag by Aspinal of London and pearl jewelry from Copenhagen designer Maria Black, according to What Kate Wore.
For body language expert Darren Stanton, Middleton's choice of first outfit for her solo tour gives us a lot of insight into the messages she's trying to send.
"Colors that people choose to wear for certain events and ceremonies are significant in how they are feeling emotionally," Stanton explains to Marie Claire on behalf of Betfair Casino.
"For Kate Middleton, red is definitely her go-to choice when she wants to be perceived as and feel powerful in her own right. It’s almost like her superhero outfit, allowing her to be all powerful yet on her own terms.
"Not only is her red blazer vibrant and out there, but it’s business-like too, suggesting she wants the world to know she is here to do business but in an empathetic and confident way. A bold and striking color, it is also a sure sign that Kate isn’t afraid to take center stage and have all eyes on her."
Obviously, though, it's the Duchess of Cambridge we're talking about here—and "formidable" isn't exactly a word you'd associate with her. Although she wants to be taken seriously (as she should), she is still demonstrating her approachable manner while in Denmark. Perhaps nothing proves this more than the photos of her laughing as she goes down a kiddie slide in full workwear.
"Kate has become known for her warm and friendly presence and this is visible as she is happy to interact with others around her and makes sure to wave to those looking on as she made her arrival," Stanton continues.
"She was seen smiling when exiting her vehicle and it’s clear she is showing a genuine happiness to have arrived in Copenhagen for her two-day visit."
Stanton believes that the duchess is genuinely thrilled to be visiting the country of the Little Mermaid and Helena Christensen.
"You’ll notice that her face is fully engaged—this is displayed by the crow’s feet at the side of the eyes," he says. "It’s these signs and certain muscles I look for to depict how genuine a smile or the feeling of happiness a person appears to show really is. They can help to determine whether the emotion being conveyed by someone is authentic and rings true to what they are really feeling."
On this trip (and on countless other official engagements before it), Middleton has shown that she is far from just being Prince William's "assistant," as she once joked: She champions her own causes and does her own work, and passionately too.
"While interacting with others at her first engagement, most people looking on—if they weren’t aware Kate was royalty—would naturally assume that she is the leader or boss within the room, purely from the way she holds herself," Stanton says.
"Her posture sees her standing upright, reaching out with a confident and firm handshake to ascertain her status. You’ll notice that Kate has her hand on top when shaking hands with others—again this is a sign of power and shows that others take her seriously as an established royal."
