Body Language Expert Reveals the "Powerful Affect" Queen Camilla Has Had on King Charles, as Monarch Celebrates 77th Birthday With New Portrait

"This steady, unobtrusive support has played a crucial part in strengthening Charles's confidence."

King Charles and Queen Camilla smiling at each other in blue outfits
(Image credit: Getty Images)

On Friday, November 14, King Charles celebrated his 77th birthday. To commemorate Charles's birthday, a body language expert analyzed the "powerful affect" Queen Camilla has had on the monarch's life to date.

Body language expert Darren Stanton, speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino, explained, "When Charles and Camilla embarked on their first royal tour to the U.S. in 2005, Camilla's deliberately cautious approach played a key role in supporting Charles during their earliest joint engagements. By stepping back and allowing him to take the lead, she helped reinforce his position while easing the public into their new dynamic."

Stanton continued, "Her willingness to follow his pace rather than dominate the spotlight gave Charles the space to settle into their partnership publicly."

In honor of the momentous occasion, the Royal Family's official Instagram account shared a new portrait of the monarch, along with the caption, "Thank you for the kind words and well wishes on His Majesty's Birthday."

According to Stanton, Queen Camilla's "gradual, measured introduction into royal duties had a powerful affect on Charles." As for The Queen's particular qualities, which helped her to support The King, the body language expert pointed to her "restraint and polite, composed demeanor," which "allowed Charles to appear more relaxed and assured beside her."

As perception regarding Charles and Camilla's relationship began to shift, Stanton believes that The Queen was able to prove herself to be a "dependable partner."

Charles and Camilla have weathered some huge challenges throughout their relationship, particularly as The King was diagnosed with cancer in 2024. Stanton believes that Camilla was the perfect person to support the monarch, pointing to her "calm presence" which has been "a grounding force for Charles."

King Charles and Queen Camilla wearing blue blazers in Scotland

The Queen was able to prove herself to be a "dependable partner."

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Pointing to in-person engagements Charles and Camilla have attended together, Stanton suggested that The King is often "relying on [Camilla's] proximity as a source of reassurance." He elaborated, "This steady, unobtrusive support has played a crucial part in strengthening Charles's confidence—a dynamic that has become even more evident since he became king."

As King Charles turns 77, it appears as though he's lucky to have Queen Camilla at his side.

Amy Mackelden
Weekend Editor

Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.