King Charles is said to rely on one member of the royal family as his go-to confidante more than anyone else – and it’s not his son, Prince William.
According to a body language expert, the 77-year-old monarch puts immense trust in his sister, Princess Anne, 75, who is widely praised as the hardest working royal.
The Princess Royal, who often represents the family on the global stage, recently wrapped up a three-day royal tour of South Korea with her husband, Sir Tim Laurence, to strengthen the United Kingdom’s ties with the country while also commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Imjin River.
Reflecting on the trip, body language expert Darren Stanton told Daily Express: “I think immense trust is placed in her by The King.”
The fact that Anne and her husband were “chosen” to represent Charles on the royal tour proves that, he adds.
“What I have seen of the trip so far really demonstrates why the trust The King has in her is so well placed,” he said, before dubbing the royal a “natural”.
“You can also see that the people she is meeting in Korea have immense respect in her. They show a lot of submissive gestures, but also seem to be really warming to her.”
He added that while people can often be “subservient” on account of fear or jitters, the “broad duchenne smiles” on people’s faces after meeting the royal proves that it’s from a place of respect.
It comes following multiple reports of tensions between King Charles and his eldest son, Prince William, after the monarch met with Prince Harry, 41, Meghan Markle, 44, and their two children, Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, earlier this month.
The reunion, which took place at the King’s private residence, Highgrove House, in Gloucestershire, marked the first time Charles had seen his grandchildren in four years.
Relations between the Sussexes and the Royal Family have been sour ever since the couple made a series of bombshell claims about the Palace in their Netflix series, Harry & Meghan, as well as their various TV interviews and Harry’s memoir, Spare.
Now, a royal commentator has claimed that William, who has no intention of building bridges with his estranged younger brother, is “furious” with his father for agreeing to the meeting,
“The Sussexes have won. Meghan Markle back on royal property,” TalkTV presenter Mark Dolan told Sky News Australia’s Paul Murray on Sunday.
“It’s my understanding that William is furious about this. Why? Because it’s a reward for the treachery, disloyalty and the cruelty of Harry and Meghan.
“Charles wants to see his grandchildren, I understand that, but I think that Harry and Meghan had no right to be on a royal property. They got their way as usual.”