Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Daily Record
Daily Record
Entertainment
Judi James & Magdalene Dalziel

William and Kate's Christmas Day gesture shows they're 'hands-off' parents now, says expert

Members of the Royal family came together on Christmas Day for their annual festive walkabout and service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham.

It was the first time the event has been led by King Charles after the death of his mother the Queen in September.

Royal watchers lined the streets to see the likes of the Prince and Princess of Wales, their three children - George, Charlotte and Louis - and the Queen Consort make their way to the Nottingham church.

Kate was accompanied by adorable four-year-old son Prince Louis who was hand-in-hand with his mum as he greeted well wishers. Prince Louis delighted royal fans with his antics during his first Christmas Day walkabout which saw him described as "pure chaos" after he was seen pulling at his mum's arm to rush her along.

But, speaking exclusively to The Mirror today, body language expert Judi James reckons the other children were given a bit more independence this time round compared to their younger brother.

The Mirror also reports Prince William and Kate made 'intentional gestures' to show they are now becoming more 'hands-off' parents with their eldest offspring.

Princess Charlotte with mum Kate, dad William and younger brother Louis (UK Press via Getty Images)

Judi said: "William and Kate showed off their children with the usual signals of pride and it was clear they are now becoming 'hands-off' parents as their children grow in confidence.

"Charlotte was pulling ahead as they walked towards the church and George has gone from being the rather shy-looking boy holding his father's hand to the older brother keeping an eye on and showing nurturing and directional signals towards the four-year-old Louis."

Judi added that Prince George now appears to be watching out for his younger brother at public events and his bond with Louis is all the more "poignant" to see in the wake of the recent footage shared on the Duke of Sussex's Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan.

Tensions are still reported to be high between Harry and his brother William because of the allegations and revelations against the Royal family which were made in the six-part docuseries.

"One of the sweetest and most poignant body language signals was the sight of George using touch, chat and bending rituals to signal he is now in the role of protector and 'keeping-an-eye-on' monitor for his younger brother Louis," Judi explained.

"As the family reached the church William put a hand out to touch George's back and leaned towards his elder son, but George was already using those same rituals towards his small and rather playful brother. The gesture looked spontaneous, as though this is a role he is taking on a lot and, after the footage of a young William and Harry growing up together that was shown in Harry's Netflix show, it looked like a poignant mirror-image of how their sibling relationship shaped up before they grew up and fell apart.

"William was shown in caring mode for Harry back then, just as George is now with Louis. The links can't have been lost on William, who seems to have proved himself as a man who learns from mistakes from the past and battles to reshape his future accordingly."

The Prince and Princess of Wales' children, George, Charlotte and Louis, were at the Christmas morning service at St Mary Magdalene Church.

Edward and Sophie Wessex also attended with Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn as well as Princess Beatrice, her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and his son Wolfie were also present.

Disgraced Prince Andrew made a surprising public appearance despite reports King Charles had him 'thrown out' of Buckingham Palace.

Get the latest celebrity gossip and telly news sent straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily Showbiz newsletter here.

READ NEXT:

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.