Prince Andrew has spoken publicly for the first time about his relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and his body language say a lot about his state of mind.
The Duke Of York, 59, was interviewed at Buckingham Palace yesterday by Newsnight journalist Emily Maitlis, who has promised a "no holds barred" discussion about the scandal.
Expert Judi James has analysed the royal's stance during his grilling, and revealed his discomfort and "stress" as he faced Emily's probing questions.
She explained: "For a man normally associated with body language bordering on the arrogant: a more traditional royal who can project confidence and high status, Andrew’s pose here, taken during his interview with Emily Maitlis, shows almost a complete role and emotion reversal.
"Openness and confidence are normally signalled by a relaxed and open posture and arrogance emerges as splaying.
"Andrew’s pose is the opposite though. He’s self-diminished here, as though by making himself a smaller target physically he can avoid any attack.
"His shoulders appear hunched up, which can be a symptom of stress, and his upper arms seem clamped to his torso."
Judi goes on to reveal that Andrew is in self-protection mode, and his body language gives away his feelings about having to face the press over the Epstein scandal.
She added: "He looks pushed into the back of his chair and there is a very self-protective caving in around his lower torso area, with his legs crossed in a barrier gesture and his hands clasped on his upper lap.
"The pose looks awkward and self-protective, almost producing an air of ongoing shock and discomfort.
Andrew’s hands are clasped in a forward steeple gesture.
"This is a complex gesture, with the steepling of the fingers suggesting a desire to boost personal status and sustain distance, while the finger-tip to finger-tip gesture hints at precision and very measured thinking."
Andrew was caught up in the Epstein affair as he faced claims he had sex with one of the disgraced financier's accusers, Virginia Giuffre, when she was 17.
He was pictured with his arm around Giuffre in London in 2001, when she was 17.
She claims she was trafficked by Epstein to have sex with his rich and famous friends, and alleges she was coerced into having sex with the duke on three occasions.
The royal has strongly denied the allegations, but his only comments on the matter have been through official statements issued through Buckingham Palace's press office.
Epstein was in custody facing child sex trafficking offences when he died aged 66 earlier this year.
Prince Andrew & the Epstein Scandal is due to be shown on BBC Two on Saturday night.
