Is Prince Edward jealous of his brother now that he wears the crown? We asked a body language expert to tell us how royals really feel about King Charles III, and the answers might surprise you.
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00:00Is Prince Edward jealous of his brother now that he wears the crown?
00:03We asked a body language expert to tell us how royals really feel about King Charles
00:07III, and the answers might surprise you.
00:10The dynamics within the royal family are ever-changing, but Prince William seems to have remained
00:14constant in his respect for his father, King Charles III.
00:18When Charles was officially crowned King of England, William played a special role in
00:25the ceremony, and in front of the entire world, the prince vowed to be loyal to his father.
00:29But it wasn't his words that caught the globe's attention, it was Prince William's actions
00:33toward his father that were so telling of where the two stood.
00:36William bowed in front of King Charles and kissed him on the cheek, two actions that
00:39both speak volumes.
00:41Body language expert Jess Poncer told The List,
00:43"...always proper and respectful, Prince William's kiss on his father's cheek shows not only
00:47affection for his dad, but also esteem for his role as the King of England."
00:51Poncer further explained that William's respect for his father may even go beyond the others
00:55in his family.
00:56While it's mandatory for Prince William to bow to his father, he still made an effort
00:59to be as respectful as possible to King Charles.
01:01Typically, family members meet eye-to-eye when showing affection, but Prince William
01:05bent down as King Charles was sitting, showing respect for the situation.
01:08In a unique fashion, and in a way that only he can, Prince William combined both a personal
01:13and professional pose in one singular action.
01:16Since the beginning of her relationship with Prince Harry, Meghan Markle has constantly
01:20been compared to Princess Catherine.
01:21From the outside looking in, it seems that Catherine hasn't struggled to form bonds with
01:25any of the members of the royal family, except Meghan, and she seemingly has a great relationship
01:30with King Charles III.
01:31Poncer compared the two, saying,
01:32"...Kate Middleton has a much easier time with King Charles than her sister-in-law.
01:36King Charles often looks at Kate with fondness and a certain gleam in his eye that seems
01:39to offer approval to the future queen.
01:41A sweet exchange between the princess and the king seems to confirm their adoration
01:45for one another is reciprocal."
01:46In this photo of the two, Catherine and Charles are smiling at each other, interacting casually
01:50as though they're related by blood and not by marriage.
01:53Poncer said,
01:54In this photo, not only do Charles' eyes indicate affection and familiarity with Catherine,
01:59but his body is turned in her direction as he smiles at her.
02:01He clearly is enamored with and appreciative of her presence.
02:04In return, she comfortably looks at him directly in the eyes as she motions her hands in active
02:09conversation.
02:10Here, we can clearly see she is chatting with her father-in-law, not the King of England.
02:15It seems as though only one of King Charles III's sons holds him in high regard, and it
02:19isn't Prince Harry.
02:20As the world knows, Harry left his royal position for several reasons after marrying Meghan
02:25Markle.
02:26Now that he lives in the United States, his relationships with his family members, particularly
02:29King Charles, seem to be suffering from the distance.
02:32Harry has returned to his home country a few times since leaving, most notably to attend
02:36his father's coronation in 2023.
02:38At this event, all eyes were on Prince Harry to analyze his behavior, and according to
02:42body language expert and celebrity love advisor Nicole Moore, there were several actions to
02:47dissect.
02:48She particularly noted how Prince Harry's demeanor seemed tense on his father's big
02:51day.
02:52Although Harry was present for the occasion, his awkwardness spoke volumes about the dysfunctional
02:56relationship between himself and Charles that evolved in the years prior to the coronation.
03:00Harry's body language here does speak to the distance that he and King Charles still have
03:04in their relationship.
03:05Harry appears to be in self-protection mode, and he's not at ease being at his father's
03:09coronation.
03:10One would assume that if their relationship were at a better place, Harry wouldn't feel
03:13the need to protect himself via his body language gestures.
03:16Look, I love my family."
03:19Everyone related to the royal family is under a microscope when they're in public, especially
03:23someone who joins the Windsors through marriage.
03:25As such, Meghan Markle has been under constant scrutiny since she began dating Prince Harry,
03:29and it only got more intense as their relationship continued.
03:32Poncer told us,
03:33"[Meghan Markle has not had an easy time integrating into the royal family.
03:36She, with the help of her husband, Prince Harry, has made an effort to overcome her
03:40anxiety and discomfort with protocols and actual relationships with his family.
03:44She's not used to how to act in this royal setting.
03:46She often displays unease and caution.
03:48One can see this in her body position and facial expressions."
03:51Poncer said that Meghan seems to be more uneasy with royalty as a whole than with King Charles
03:55in particular.
03:56One moment in Meghan's royal history was particularly telling of how she felt about King Charles
04:01III.
04:02While at the Trooping the Colour in 2018, Meghan was standing behind Charles, giving
04:05him an interesting look.
04:07Her head is tilted in a more casual fashion as she glances in King Charles' direction,
04:11more of a familiar glance.
04:12She seems unfazed by her overture and focus.
04:15In many ways, it comes across as a desire for attention, something many royal watchers
04:19have criticized.
04:20King Charles III's only sister, Princess Anne, seems to have a lot of affection for her older
04:25brother.
04:26The two have always been close, sharing hobbies, traveling, carrying out royal duties, and
04:30spending quality time with each other and their families throughout the decades.
04:33Poncer told us,
04:34"[King Charles and Princess Anne seem to have a wonderful brother-sister relationship.
04:38Often seen laughing and smiling, they appear to enjoy each other's company.
04:41It's great to see the king in jovial, comfortable spirits."
04:44In particular, one series of photographs taken of Anne and Charles sitting next to each other
04:48at an event fully display just how strong their sibling bond is after all these years.
04:53Poncer said,
04:54"[As seen in this photo, their animated expressions and gestures indicate that the two are having
04:58a great time together.]
04:59Side by side, the two have their knees pointed toward each other as they both look in the
05:03same direction in laughter and frivolity.
05:05It's such a captivating scene that it makes many of us wonder what they're enjoying so
05:09much.
05:10Why would he be so lucky to have a sibling connection like these two?"
05:12"'What kind of king do you think he'll be?'
05:15"'Well, you know what you're getting, because he's been practicing for a bit.'"
05:20Prince Andrew has become somewhat of a black sheep within the royal family.
05:24King Charles officially removes his younger brother, Prince Andrew, from Buckingham Palace.
05:28Controversy surrounding his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein has turned him into a pariah,
05:32and his public interactions with King Charles III suggest their relationship is more transactional
05:37than anything.
05:38Poncer told us,
05:39"[Prince Andrew and King Charles do not appear to have a strong brotherly bond.
05:42While a brotherly bond is typically jovial and animated, these two are not."
05:46In photos taken in 2012, before Charles was king, Prince Andrew was seen standing next
05:50to his brother with his hands behind his back, holding a conversation that appears to be
05:54the kind typically shared by co-workers rather than brothers.
05:57And the photo is no anomaly.
05:59Poncer said,
06:00"'As seen here in this photo, Prince Andrew often has his hands behind him as he walks.
06:04Whatever energy or feelings he may have on a given topic are literally being held captive
06:08behind him.
06:09He walks forward with the king in caution as the two chat.
06:12Likewise, it appears King Charles is there for the conversation, but not the connection."
06:16King Charles III has a unique relationship with his sister and brothers.
06:20Now that both their parents are dead and with his ascension to the throne, Charles has assumed
06:24the patriarchal role among his siblings, one that is far different than any other family
06:28structure.
06:29This change in dynamic has presumably affected the relationship between King Charles and
06:33his brother, Prince Edward, and it shows in the way they interact with each other in public.
06:37Rather trooping the color in 2023, King Charles was on the balcony with Camilla, Queen Consort,
06:42his brother, Prince Edward, and his sister-in-law, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.
06:45On examination of this event, some interesting insights into their dynamic were drawn.
06:49Moore told us,
06:50"'Prince Edward appears to be holding back somewhat.
06:52He's smiling, but it's a reserved, almost polite energy, as if he's giving a nod to
06:56Charles' amusement but won't participate fully in it.
06:59Their body language here shows that the two are close and connected.
07:02However, Prince Edward may feel subtle competition toward King Charles and may hold back so as
07:06not to let Charles shine."
07:09King Charles III has several people in his life who call him uncle.
07:12One such person is Zara Tindall, Princess Anne's daughter.
07:15Like her mother, Zara shares a special relationship with King Charles, as is evidenced by their
07:19public interactions.
07:20Moore told us,
07:21"'Their body language seems to convey that they may forget about the royal protocol when
07:25with each other, because their love of being close and in each other's company is what
07:28matters most to them.
07:29With as many other nieces and nephews as King Charles has, it seems that none are quite
07:34as close with the reigning monarch as Zara.'"
07:36Moore said,
07:37"'Based on the body language in this picture, it's safe to say that Zara might be his favorite
07:40niece.'"
07:42When analyzing royal relationships, it's important to remember that this family has the unique
07:46caveat of having protocols that dictate how they interact physically with one another.
07:50The higher a royal is on the totem pole, the more actions of respect other royals have
07:54to show them.
07:55Because Princess Beatrice is rather low in the line of succession, she has to act a certain
07:59way around many of her close family members to show respect for the crown, particularly
08:03King Charles III.
08:04Ponser told us,
08:06"[Princess Beatrice appears to be compelled to do what is right when addressing her uncle,
08:09King Charles, but honestly there doesn't seem to be a strong connection between the two."
08:13In this photo of the two royals, Princess Beatrice is seen kissing her uncle on the
08:16cheek, and the details of her actions indicate that they have a rather formal relationship.
08:21Ponser broke it down, saying,
08:22"'Seen here in this photo, she leans in to kiss him on the cheek, but she doesn't actually
08:26kiss him.
08:27Rather, it is a cheek-to-cheek gesture, without her lips touching his cheek.
08:30She has puckered lips looking completely past him.
08:33There also appears to be a lack of body contact.
08:35She leans in with only her shoulders but does not make a connection.
08:39Are they uncomfortable?
08:40Not really.
08:41But are they close?
08:42I say no."
08:43After Prince William, Prince George is next in line to become the King of England.
08:47It's a major responsibility to shoulder at such a young age, but as George showed at
08:51his grandfather's coronation in 2023, he's already preparing for the role.
08:55Ponser said of the king's grandson,
08:56"'Prince George made a spectacular appearance at his grandfather's King Charles' coronation.
09:01While it was his grandfather's moment, onlookers could not help but notice the future king,
09:05Prince George, participating in the royal festivities.
09:08He really received a first-hand look into what will likely be a future experience."
09:12Based on their past public interactions, Prince George's relationship with King Charles III
09:16seems to be very formal.
09:18But the two do have certain unique aspects of life they can bond over, like preparing
09:22from a young age to become a king.
09:24That unique bond was put on full display while Prince George helped carry King Charles' robe
09:28at his coronation.
09:30Ponser told us,
09:31While the two didn't necessarily share a connected moment together, they did connect in a shared
09:35experience.
09:36Prince George was regal, appropriate, and very royal.
09:38At such a young age, he's definitely showing us how he is being groomed to be a leader
09:42one day.
09:43Prince George might not be as close with King Charles as other members of his family, but
09:47he certainly has a high level of respect for his grandfather.