Prince William Proves He's the "Backbone" of Royal Family

Prince William and Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia standing next to each other

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Prince William is carrying out an official three-day visit to Saudi Arabia this week, and his meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been described as a high-stakes diplomatic mission. The Prince of Wales has been increasingly stepping in for King Charles in this sort of statesman-like role, and one expert says his recent events reveal signs of William’s"‘exceptional talent for diplomacy."

Speaking to Betfair Casino, body language expert Darren Stanton notes that the Prince of Wales "is very good at building rapport"—a key quality when it comes to Britain’s relationship with Saudi Arabia.

"There is clearly a real connection and respect," Stanton says when discussing the interactions between Prince William and the Crown Prince. "They have strong reciprocity," he adds.

Prince William walking next to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud — The Prince of Wales visits UNESCO World Heritage site At-Turaif with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.

During his trip to the Middle East, the Prince of Wales has played soccer with local girls, taken part in an E-Sports tournament, attended a dinner with the Crown Prince and accompanied the royal on a tour of the Unesco World Heritage Site At-Turaif.

Amid his visit, a representative for the Prince and Princess of Wales made a statement about the new revelations regarding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

"I can confirm The Prince and Princess have been deeply concerned by the continuing revelations," the couple's rep stated. "Their thoughts remain focused on the victims."

Prince William wearing sunglasses walking with men in Saudi Arabia — The Prince of Wales, wearing Finlay sunglasses, tours Sports Boulevard, a sustainable urban regeneration project.

Prince William playing soccer with girls in Saudi Arabia — Prince William practices with a girls soccer team at MISK Sports City in Riyadh.

Despite the news about his uncle and criticism due to Saudi Arabia's history of human rights controversies, the Prince of Wales carried on with his engagements in the Middle East.

"These kinds of diplomatic visits are beginning to become second nature to William," Stanton says. "He is truly the backbone of the modern monarchy and the clear signs of the rapport he has been able to build with Mohammed bin Salman are a testament to this."

The 40-year-old Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia is, like Prince William, preparing to take the throne one day. Building a strong relationship will be key for future relations between the two countries—and Stanton says that based on this week's visit, the Prince of Wales should have no problem on the world stage.

"As he takes on an increasingly leading role in the work of the Royal Family, his exceptional talent for diplomacy is becoming more and more apparent," Stanton shares.

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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.