Kate Middleton Embodies Princess Diana's "Popularity and Empathy," Body Language Expert Says

Since Princess Diana's untimely death, many commentators have given their two cents about her enduring legacy.

She was such a beloved figure around the world, so it's only natural that people want to know who among Royal Family members is honoring said legacy the best. Of course, Diana is irreplaceable, and many royals embody certain qualities of the late princess'.

That said, for body language expert Darren Stanton, it's Kate Middleton who has shown the most similarities to her husband's mother throughout her marriage to Prince William, and throughout her slew of official engagements—including the ones she conducts without her husband.

For Stanton, it's the duchess' confidence, popularity and authenticity that does the trick—as proven for the thousandth time while the Duchess of Cambridge was naming the winner of the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design this week.

"Upon immediately observing Kate at the awards, as she walks along, it’s very clear from her posture, the way she walks and her smile, that she has evolved so very much as a person over the last decade," Stanton tells Marie Claire on behalf of Betfair Casino (opens in new tab).

"Kate has a very quiet confidence and elegance in the way she conducts herself straight from the outset. Her walk is confident and bold—we can tell this by Kate walking with strong arms by her side. She’s not clutching her hands or holding her arms."

The expert feels that the duchess is a completely genuine person, and is truly interested in all the different people she meets on her various engagements—from emerging fashion designers to market stall owners to emergency workers. This, he says, is just like her late mother-in-law.

"She shows a genuine willingness to learn about others that cannot be faked, much like Diana did—what you see is very much what you get with Kate.

"If you look at the body language of those interacting with Kate, there were many times when others surrounding the duchess turned their body position in towards Kate, creating a perfect triad or pyramid shape, denoting a strong rapport and reciprocal liking. Similarly, their feet are turned in towards Kate, which reveals their want to be in that certain situation and around her.

"It’s clear that Kate is one of the most popular members of the senior Royal Family now, who is able to connect with those from all walks of life and ages because of her sincerity and genuineness.

"It’s easy to see the similarities between Kate and Princess Diana and we haven’t seen a member of the royal family emulate or encapsulate the popularity and empathy that Diana had as Kate has done in recent years."

Middleton's sister-in-law Meghan Markle has also been compared to Princess Diana at length. Body language expert Judi James event went as far as calling her a "perfect copy" of the late princess last year.