How Kate uses the traffic light walk to always appear ‘confident & approachable’, plus 5 other body language tricks
PRINCESS Kate is said to have a clever “hair trick” which she does in public to make looking perfect “look effortless”, according to a body language expert.
Judi James told Fabulous that the Princess of Wales, 43, subtly touches her hair before she greets someone for two key reasons.
The body language pro told Fabulous: “Her long flowing hair, her perma-smile and even her often-animated body language when she’s on a meet and greet, all give the impression of natural warmth and confidence.
“But, like any royals, she also needs to ensure her styling is storm-proof and her non-verbal rituals are camera-proof and that involves a series of clever tricks and techniques that ensure she is always creating the right impression.
“Kate doesn’t avoid touching her hair altogether and we’ll often see her perform one touch with one of her hands as she approaches hosts or members of the public when she’s on a visit.”
Judi shared how Kate’s hair touching has “two psychological functions.”
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She explained: “Firstly, it is a trick of ingratiation to put people at their ease.
“The quick hair check will seem to signal that she’s the one checking she looks ok before she meets them, which will make her appear approachable and non-intimidating. It’s a micro status-lowerer that will make people feel more comfortable around her.
“The other function though will be as an intra-personal signal to herself.
“Kate will be about to meet with strangers and that creates a sense of fear.
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“King Charles touches his cuff or pats his pocket at this point and William touches his waist or checks his tie.
“These self-touch rituals are calming for the person performing them as well as for the people they’re meeting.”
And it’s not the only body language trick Kate has up her sleeve, according to Judi.
1. 'Pole position’ hand clasp
Judi shared how most women with long, thick hair do “a regular series of constant touch rituals like preening, stroking, tossing and even finger-combing that keep the hair constantly moving or used as an emotional prop.”
However, she added: “Kate’s royal role means a constant suppression of any non-verbal leakage, though, meaning she would need to avoid fiddling or playing with her hair to signal inner anxiety and a desire to self-comfort, plus her hair needs to look immaculate, and any touch would tend to spoil the curls or create a more dishevelled look.
The quick hair check will seem to signal that she’s the one checking she looks ok before she meets them, which will make her appear approachable and non-intimidating
Judi James
“From her first engagement interview, Kate adopted a ‘pole position’ with her hands, folding them lightly in her lap to help her avoid what might have been a constant urge to touch or flick her hair.
“Royal women had tended to either have shorter, neater cuts like Diana, or to pin it back or up like Fergie and Anne when they are out on the job, but Kate’s long tumbling hair has always looked like her non-negotiable and this trick with her hands has probably helped her to retain the look.”
2. Bag trick
Unlike the late Queen, Kate has always tended to carry a small clutch bag to royal events.
This gives her more options in terms of her body language and gestures than having a large bag hanging over one crooked arm.
Judi added: “She has the optional use of both hands if she shoved the purse under her upper arm and it minimises any impression of having a barrier, especially when she’s meeting children and, unlike the late Queen, she wants to kneel to their level and engage without any bag getting in the way.
“Kate did use even these small bags as barriers during her early days in the royal family, when she would often hold them in front of her torso with both hands to signal shyness, but she seems to have trained herself to use them less and less as a prop and now she is more often seen without any bag at all.
“This is a trick that allows her to project high levels of confidence and energy and to immerse herself more on visits”.
3. Tie-sign touches
Increasingly we are seeing Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis at royal events - and Kate has a key way of helping her kids in public.
Judi added: “Her trick is to deal with three lively, playful children and, without drilling them formally or constantly checking them in public, to ensure they are all in the right place at the right time doing the right thing but also enjoying themselves.
“Kate uses a series of small touches on both her children and her husband to check, steer, support, reassure and reward them in public.
“She might stroke Charlotte’s hair or touch Lois on the back and for William it can mean a range of gestures from a pat on the back, a hand on the thigh or even a small playful pat on the bum.
“These are all silent and emotional signals that help her family to move in a synchronised way.”
4. Traffic light technique
Kate tends to change her pace when she is on visits to give the impression of both keenness and caring.
Judi explained: “Royals used to arrive at events at a slower, more stately pace but Kate will now often walk quickly into a venue, making it look as though she can’t wait to meet her hosts.
“In a speed-reversal she will then slow down to ensure some non-superficial engagement with the public, like Christmas Day when she ignored William waiting for her and spent as long as she wanted chatting to the fans who had been waiting outside the church.”
5. Mirroring trick
Kate has a subtle way of showing her affection to husband Prince William during engagements.
She added: “Since she married William she has used industrial-strength (but also subtle) mirroring techniques with him to show like-minded thinking and to project deep love but without the use of PDAs.
“William’s concern for caution when it came to baring too much public emotion and attracting the kind of press and public interest his mother had, plus his role as future king meant he and Kate used very little in the way of touch or other love gestures in public.
“But their synchronised mirroring always expressed that love in a more subtle way.
Inside Prince William and Kate Middleton's relationship - in their words
AFTER years of dating, Prince William and Kate Middleton announced their engagement on November 16, 2010.
Prince William revealed in their interview with BBC that he knew from the start that Kate was different from other people.
He said in their engagement interview: "From my point of view, when I first met Kate, I knew there was something very special about her.”
When asked what drew them together, it turns out her “naughty sense of humour” was the tipping point.
He said: “She’s got a really naughty sense of humour, which really helps me because I’ve got a really dirty sense of humour so it was good fun, we had a really good laugh, and then things happened.”
And it appears that Prince William is a very caring partner towards Kate. Swoon.
She previously told Hello! how much of a gentleman William is, and said: "You know, over the years William has looked after me, he's treated me very well — as the loving boyfriend he is, he is very supportive of me through the good times and also through the bad times.”
In April 2011, Prince William and Kate Middleton tied the knot at Westminster Abbey in a ceremony watched around the world by millions of fans.
Kate wore a spectacular Alexander McQueen dress and the smitten prince could be seen telling Kate: “You look beautiful” before the service began.
They may have an unconventional life, but when it comes to their relationship, it all boils down to having fun.
Prince William added: “Obviously we both have a very fun time together, both have a very good sense of humour about things, we're down to earth, we take the mickey out of each other a lot, and she's got plenty of habits that make me laugh that I tease her about."
“Kate will also use mirroring to subtly influence people she’s meeting, which is a technique called Mirror – Pace – lead.
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“She might help a shy child by bending to mirror their height or to speak with wider eyes to mimic them before slowly unfurling herself in terms of smiling and laughing so that they take her lead and begin to relax more.
“Like Diana, Kate also uses some subtle mirroring to create fast-track rapport with the public.”