Princes William and Harry "Definitely Approve" of Prince Charles and Camilla's Relationship, Body Language Expert Says

Princes William and Harry had to witness their mother Princess Diana's unhappiness, then her divorce from their father, and finally, tragically, her death at the age of 36 in 1997. It would stand to reason, then, that they wouldn't view Prince Charles' relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles—with whom he had an affair while still married to Diana—in the best light.

In fact, a recent story pointed to the two dukes' weariness towards Prince Charles' alleged intention to make Camilla queen. But for body language expert Darren Stanton, speaking on behalf of Be My Bet, Prince Charles' two sons are actually quite close to their stepmother.

"I think for a long time the media were engrossed in the story of how William and Harry would respond to Camilla effectively being their stepmother, but they show a natural connection to her," Stanton says. "Their non-verbal communication towards Camilla signifies a strong bond and it’s clear they definitely approve of her relationship with their father Charles, with both William and Harry showing genuine emotion towards her."

Stanton also outlined how Prince Charles and his wife's body language towards one another has evolved over the decades of their relationship. "Pictured around the 1970s, Charles displays an open palm gesture when speaking with Camilla—a gesture of honesty and openness and it’s often seen as a sign of trust," the expert explains. "However, he and Camilla made sure to keep a distance between them, as they were seemingly careful not to give any indication towards the existence of a deeper relationship between them or, indeed, reciprocal liking."

Stanton continues, "There are no signs of true happiness across their faces—no doubt the pair felt the need to suppress that emotion, despite showing a yearning to be close, perhaps even kiss or hug, as they were mindful of their circumstances. They also appear to express anxiety, Camilla was often seen with her hands in her pockets—a gesture of distress."

After they married in 2005, Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall's body language in public predictably evolved. "In the years that followed the pair tying the knot in 2005, Camilla was seen mirroring Charles during their public engagements—this is a behaviour exhibited by people in deep rapport, like romantic partners or family," Stanton explains.

"She displays the couple’s closeness by leaning in to him, engaging in his conversation and copying his hand and leg position—matching each other’s non-verbal signs, like gestures and posture, and doing so is a good sign of a healthy relationship," the expert continues.

These days, Stanton believes the couple has grown more comfortable. "Recent photographs of the couple reflect how Camilla has gone from being tense and distant while around Charles to finally feeling comfortable, relaxed and herself," he says. "We see a couple in sync, Charles leaning in towards Camilla and Camilla mirroring his body indicating they are more than comfortable to be in close proximity. They are often pictured smiling together and their smiles appear genuine, through their eyes and cheeks being somewhat raised."