Royal gestures can be so common that fans barely notice them. However, there’s a hidden reason behind them all. For instance, Kate Middleton has a signature sitting pose. It even has a name: ‘the Duchess Slant.” She keeps her knees and ankles together, with her legs angled to one side while her shoulders face forward.
Etiquette expert Myka Meier told People, “It is the perfect pose for when a camera is shooting directly in front of you because by slightly slanting the knees to create a zig-zag effect when wearing a dress or skirt.” She added that in it, the “legs are angled so that the camera only shoots the sides of your legs and protects your modesty.”
Princess Diana also used a similar position when photographers captured her at the Taj Mahal in 1992. However, Diana had her own sitting style. Royal photographer Ken Lennox told PBS’ Frontline, “Diana used to sit there demurely with her feet and ankles together and knees together.”
Then, during the 1988 royal tour of Australia, wearing a short beige silk suit, Dianna sat beside Charles on a platform. They were waiting for a mayor to speak. Around 150 photographers stood nearby. When she crossed her legs, the photographers rushed to one side for a better shot of her legs.
Lennox said the platform “started to lift out of the ground on the left-hand side.” Meanwhile, Harry’s signature move looks very different. He often slips one hand inside his coat or suit jacket. Sometimes he rests it across his stomach. Body-language expert Blanca Cobb studied the gesture for Good Housekeeping.
“Prince Harry’s arm placed across his abdomen serves as a barrier to separate or distance himself from something that makes him uncomfortable,” Cobb said. “In this case, it could be having photos taken.”
William has his own royal familiar stance. He has often been photographed sitting with his legs speed farther apart. His hands have also caught experts’ attention. Body-language expert Darren Stanton had also noticed a few of William’s old habits. He said William would play with his cufflinks or tuck one hand inside his jacket.
“Any gesture where we touch ourselves is a self reassurance gesture,” Stanton told ET Online. He also said William used these moves much less now. Queen Elizabeth II also had a hand pose people could recognise instantly. She often clasped her hands in front of her body during public appearances. Speaking to Sky News, behavioural psychologist Peter Collett said,
“The Queen’s signature pose is the handclasp. This is a demure defence posture and it is designed to be unthreatening. But it is also a respectful gesture.” Collett also noticed people around the Queen sometimes copied the gesture.
Charles has a few royal familiar moves, too. He often stands with his hands behind his back. During his coronation, another gesture caught an expert’s eye. Charles was crowned at Westminster Abbey in 2023. Communications coach Sonia Beldom watched his movements during the ceremony.
“Charles interlaces his fingers when he relaxes his hands, showing a mild self-comforting and relaxing gesture,” Beldom told the PA news agency. She also commented on his expression. “Charles’s face shows immense poise and his slightly open mouth displays a genuine smile for everyone he greets on his way in,” she said.
