The Prince and Princess of Wales joined King Charles and Queen Camilla for the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey today – and an expert noted a change when compared to their recent royal outings

The Princess of Wales’s loved-up gesture left Prince William looking bashful at one of the biggest events in the royal calendar, according to an expert.

William and Kate joined King Charles and Queen Camilla today for the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, which both the princess and the monarch missed last year due to their cancer diagnoses. Kate looked eye-catching in a red Catherine Walker coat and a hat by Gina Foster in the same colour as she arrived at Westminster Abbey with William. The pair were seen chatting as they arrived and giggling together as they took their seats before the start of the service.

The Prince and Princess of Wales at the annual Commonwealth Day service today ( 
Image:
PA)

And body language expert Judi James told the Mirror it showed a ‘transition’ from their recent outings – but one moment showed William’s ‘bashful crush’ on his wife. She explained: “William and Kate made the body language transition from ‘unison’ behaviours to mirrored, ‘free movement’ behaviours at this formal royal event.

“Since Kate’s illness, they have been extra tactile and totally connected during their public appearances, using every opportunity to use touches, glances or mimed hugs to move together coupled up like ice skaters or ballroom dancers.

“But here they performed the equivalent of ‘free’ movement, putting in their professional appearance in a more traditionally regal way but moving while apart in synchronised, mirrored unity as they did so.

Kate beamed as she sat with William to watch the performances from musicians and dancers ( 
Image:
PA)
“What this showed was a more relaxed approach with no need to check or employ tie-signs. It appeared to signal they were both on strong, repaired form for this event, keeping their signals of utter fondness to a minimum while still keeping totally in sync.

“They walked in together but slightly apart with signs of renewed energy and positivity. William’s beaming smile projected ongoing pride in his wife but he avoided all the steering pats and touches that can imply she has some need of support and encouragement.

“When they did connect as they do here, sitting together, William’s body-scrunched pose and his very youthful smile with eye crinkling and a peek of the front teeth through his lips in response to Kate’s lean and playful smile suggests a bit of a bashful crush is still going on in their relationship.”

Before the service began and as the royals, including Princess Anne and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, gathered together, they all greeted each other and had a jovial chat.

Charles, Camilla, William and Kate sing along to the hymns in the Abbey today ( 
Image:
PA)Kate greeted Camilla, in a pink wool crepe and satin coat dress by Fiona Clare and pink beret hat by Philip Treacy, with a curtsy. William also greeted his father the King with a kiss on the cheek before they all sang the national anthem and proceeded to their seats.

According to lip reader Jeremy Freeman, Charles said to his oldest son: “Good to see you.” Anne could also be seen talking to her older brother the King, with him telling her “I didn’t hear a word” before the procession.

It comes as the King, in his Commonwealth Day message, said restoring the “disrupted harmony of our entire planet” is the most ‘important’ task facing humanity.

Ahead of commemorations marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, the King also remembered the “sacrifice and selflessness” of Commonwealth forces who answered the call to fight with Britain and her allies. Charles said in his written address included in a Commonwealth booklet given to the congregation: “More than one-and-a-half million men and women who served during the war came from across the Commonwealth to support the United Kingdom and its allies.

“On this special anniversary, we remember with particular pride and everlasting gratitude the untold sacrifice and selflessness of so many from around our family of nations who gave their lives in that dreadful conflict. This year’s Commonwealth Day theme was Together We Thrive, which celebrates the “enduring spirit of the Commonwealth family”.