Leave It to Taylor Swift and Her Eras Tour to Help Make Prince William Appear “More Like His Old Self” Again
An expert said that an “outburst of pent up emotions erupted joyfully” when William attended Swift’s show last Friday—his 42nd birthday.
It has been a tough 2024 for Prince William, but the ship seems to be righting itself. Less than one week after the Princess of Wales’ return to public life at June 15’s Trooping the Colour (as she continues to receive treatment for cancer) and on the day of his 42nd birthday on June 21, William attended Taylor Swift’s first Eras Tour stop at London’s Wembley Stadium and, while there, seemed to have the time of his life alongside son Prince George and daughter Princess Charlotte.
A post shared by The Prince and Princess of Wales (@princeandprincessofwales)
A photo posted by on
This year has seen William handle not just his wife battling cancer, but also his father; a continued rift with his younger brother, Prince Harry; caretaking duties for both Kate and their three kids; a demanding workload as the heir to the throne; and, perhaps most taxing, doing all of this as the eyes of the world watch intently. But at the Eras Tour, as he danced to Swift’s “Shake It Off,” body language expert Judi James told The Mirror that William looked more like his old self as he entered the next year of his life.
William, James said, displayed an “outburst of pent up emotions that erupted joyfully at the Taylor Swift concert,” no doubt a release from the ample tensions of 2024 heretofore. Earlier in the week, at Royal Ascot—an annual staple in the royal diary—James noticed that “constant touches and gestures of maternal-style support and care” came from the women she called William’s “three fairy godmothers”: Carole Middleton (his mother-in-law), Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh (his aunt), and Zara Tindall (his cousin), all of whom were on hand at the event. These gestures “re-energized William, who is back on royal duties looking more like his old self after all the months of what must have been worry about Kate,” James said.
In addition to being caught on camera dancing in the box at Wembley, both Swift and the Prince and Princess of Wales shared selfies of their backstage meet-and-greet before the show last Friday night. On hand for the private meetup was Swift’s boyfriend, Travis Kelce, who called the future king “so cool” and “very genuine” on his podcast, “New Heights,” alongside brother Jason Kelce.
“Dude, he was the coolest motherfucker,” Travis said, to which Jason chimed in “He was awesome” in agreement, per People. Travis admitted that when he met William, George, and Charlotte backstage, he wasn’t sure what royal protocol was and whether he should “bow,” “curtsy,” or “just be an American idiot and shake their hand,” adding “We wanted to be polite, especially on this side of the park.”
Travis also added that Jason got to meet William and the kids, too, and noted that he had never seen his older brother “give someone that much respect” when he met them: “You put your beer, like, 10 feet away from you,” Travis joked, to which Jason responded “I didn’t have it in my teeth when I met [William],” referring to a viral clip of Jason holding a beer cup between his teeth during one of Swift’s London shows over the weekend. “They were wonderful people, and that’s what it’s about, you know?” Jason said. “Obviously, literally part of a monarchy, royalty. Yeah. Hard to be a down to earth human being, I would assume—but came off that way completely.”
In perhaps the most touching compliment, Travis said of William’s parenting, “If anyone’s doing it right, Prince William’s doing it right,” he said, according to People.
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
Prayerfully, as he turns a year older, this year will be far less dramatic than the back half of 41 for the Prince of Wales. Reflecting on William’s challenging year, royal biographer and editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine Ingrid Seward told The Mirror “The traumas of the past year have made him a stronger person. He has become the kind of man [his mother Princess] Diana always hoped he would be—kind, considerate, and able to take on whatever life throws at him.”
Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.
-
Prince William Attends Earthshot Prize Ceremony in a Thrifted Blazer He Found at a Vintage Store
"You just try to do what you can."
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Vice President Harris's Final Suit of the 2024 Election
She conceded the presidential race in a look encapsulating her approach to the race.
By Halie LeSavage Published
-
Recreate These Effortless Thanksgiving Outfit Formulas
From deep burgundy to animal prints and Fair Isle knits, kick off the holiday season with pieces that look polished but aren't at all stuffy.
By Lauren Tappan Published
-
Prince William Attends Earthshot Prize Ceremony in a Thrifted Blazer He Found at a Vintage Store As He Shares Royal Family's Sustainable Habits
"You just try to do what you can."
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Prince William Shares the "Tough Question" Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis Keep Asking Him—And It Might Surprise You
"My children ask me this regularly."
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Taylor Swift Fan Reacts to Star Apparently Wearing Her Chiefs Jacket After Buying It on eBay
A pretty cool claim to fame.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published
-
Brooklyn Beckham Tells Andy Cohen What Prince William Is Really Like
"Is there something about him that people don't get?" Cohen asked.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
The “Hottest British Royal You’ve Never Heard Of” Has Started Military Training at the Same School as Prince William and Prince Harry
We love a man in uniform.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Princess Kate Is "Training at the Gym" After Completing Her Cancer Treatment
"She has changed the way she lives her life."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Prince William Wears a Sweet Tribute to His Kids During South Africa Visit
He's in his dad era.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Taylor Swift's Mom Andrea Is in Her "Chiefs Era" at Travis Kelce's Latest Game
This comes as the singer posted a reminder to her fans to vote.
By Iris Goldsztajn Published