King Charles Has a New "Swagger," Says Body Language Expert

King Charles wearing a suit walking past a group of students — (Image credit: Getty Images)

King Charles and Queen Camilla marked Maundy Thursday on April 2, carrying on a royal tradition that dates all the way back to the 13th century. British monarchs have been distributing special coins called Maundy Money to senior citizens on the Thursday before Easter for hundreds of years, and in 2026, Their Majesties traveled to St Aspah, Wales for the event. Body language expert Darren Stanton notes that The King looked “more confident” than ever as he attended the church service, and that’s partially down to Queen Camilla.

The King and Queen were full of smiles as they greeted members of the public gathered outside St Asaph cathedral, and Stanton—speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino—says that Camilla is King Charles’s “rock.”

“This is something he clearly really enjoys doing,” Stanton says of Maundy Thursday, adding that “Camilla seems to share this enjoyment.” The body language expert notes that The Queen “shows no signs of insecurity or lack of confidence—she is a very confident person. Hence why Charles can use her as a rock.”

Article continues below

King Charles and Queen Camilla posing with beefeaters, clergymen and children outside a church — King Charles and Queen Camilla pose outside St Asaph Cathedral in Wales on April 2.

King Charles wearing a suit talking to members of the public — Stanton says The King exhibited a "swagger" at the Maundy Thursday event.

Their Majesties will celebrate their 21st wedding anniversary on April 9, and Stanton shares that his confidence has increased significantly since his marriage.

“Charles looks more and more confident as the years go by,” he says. “There was almost a swagger to him as he left the car—this is a stark contrast to how he was in his youth and a large part of this seems to be largely due to the support Camilla gives him.”

The King and Queen celebrated their 20th anniversary during a state visit to Italy last year, releasing some special portraits to mark the occasion. Although 2026 isn’t a milestone anniversary for the couple, it will certainly be a happy moment for The King and Queen to celebrate amid his cancer treatments and the ongoing controversies surrounding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

TOPICS

Kristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor. She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means.

Prior to working at Marie Claire, she wrote about celebrity and royal fashion at Page Six Style and covered royalty from around the world as chief reporter at Royal Central. Kristin has provided expert commentary for outlets including the BBC, Sky News, US Weekly, the Today Show and many others.

Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel, history, horses, and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world, London.