A body language expert is giving some insight into how Duchess Sophie makes her husband a more confident royal.
On Wednesday, June 19, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh released a new portrait in honor of their 25th wedding anniversary, People reports. The photograph, captured by photographer Chris Jelf, showed the royal couple holding hands and smiling as they sat together outside surrounded by flowers.
"We are so grateful for the many kind and lovely messages we have received on our Silver Wedding Anniversary. Wishing everyone who is celebrating their own anniversaries a special day too," the pair captioned the post, which was signed "Edward and Sophie."
According to body language expert Darren Stanton, "Edward used to come across as shy and uncomfortable when out and about in the public eye, which was very similar to his brother King Charles."
"He would also actively distance himself from public attention when he could," Stanton said, in a press release shared in anticipation of the Duke and Duchess' 25th anniversary. "However, in more recent years, we’ve seen much more of Edward and Sophie. Now, Edward portrays himself in a much more authoritative manner and takes control of situations. This is shown through him placing his arms behind his back and standing tall while walking with a stride in his step. It shows he’s comfortable holding his head high and taking the lead.”
Stanton credits Prince Edward's wife, Sophie, for the change in the Duke's overall public demeanor and more confident stature, claiming that “Sophie certainly brings out a more extroverted side of Edward."
"We see Edward feeling more confident and strong when Sophie is by his side," he explained. "The fact he has gone from being the most introverted to finding his inner strength and confidence shows how perfectly suited they are as a couple. It proves they know each other inside out and feel at ease in every situation. When we look at the Royal family now, some of the most confident gestures are portrayed by Kate, Camilla, Meghan and even the late Queen Elizabeth—and Sophie follows these traits.”
According to the same press release, Stanton is a former police officer with Derbyshire police with a degree in psychology, who used his expertise to uncover the truth when interviewing hundreds of suspects before moving to media and television as a consultant.
Prince Edward and Sophie has resumed more a public-facing role within the royal family following both King Charles and Princess Kate's cancer diagnoses.
In April, the monarch tasked the pair with taking part in the 120th anniversary of the key diplomatic agreement between the U.K. and France, known as the "Entente Cordiale." The historic Buckingham Palace ceremony included the traditional Changing of the Guard, featuring the French troops for the very first time.
According to Afua Hagan, who previously spoke to Us Weekly, Duchess Sophie has also become the "royal family's secret weapon" as they continue to navigate dual health issues.
“She really gets on with the job, she connects very well with people on these engagements that she does, and she does a lot of them behind the scenes,” the royal commentator told the publication. “Now, we’re seeing Prince Edward stepping out in his own way as well.”
In addition to the Duchess of Edinburgh, Hagan says her husband, Prince Edward, could be viewed as the monarchy's "other secret weapon in the royal family."
"I do believe Edward relies on Sophie quite a lot to feel his most confident self in social settings," Stanton said. "He may not be the most confident out of the Royals, but he certainly has shown an increased ability of stepping up to the plate—and that will be due to Sophie’s constant support and encouragement.”
