Lip-reader weighs in on ‘telling-looking gesture’ during rare appearance by Catherine, Princess of Wales

A lip-reader has revealed Catherine, Princess of Wales may have been feeling nervous about one of her first public appearances over the weekend, when she joined senior royals at a Remembrance Day service.

Lip reader Jacqui Press examined an interaction between the princess and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, in which Kate appeared to seek out Sophie for moral support.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Touching moment William and Kate lead emotional applause to our fallen soldiers.

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Press said Kate looked to her husband Prince William’s aunt throughout the service for reassurance, the Daily Mail reported.

The service was one of the rare times Kate has been in public after keeping a low profile as she received preventative chemotherapy in the first half of 2024, following revelations in March she had been diagnosed with an as-yet undisclosed cancer.

It was also the first time Kate carried out two consecutive days of public appearances this year.

On Saturday night she joined King Charles and other senior royals at Royal Albert Hall for a commemorative concert, in her first major formal appearance since her chemotherapy ended, the BBC reported.

Catherine, Princess of Wales and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh attend the annual National Service of Remembrance at The Cenotaph on November 10. Credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

Press said Sophie, who is married to Prince Edward, was gesturing as she said, “you know ... it’s ...” prompting Kate to respond, “yes ... because it’s so special”.

“You’re never quite ready for this,” Kate added.

The duchess agreed: “Yes, absolutely.”

Press claimed Kate also said: “Better now”.

As the royals exited the balcony, Sophie was seen with her hand resting on Kate’s back, guiding her out.

The Duchess of Edinburgh seen supporting the Princess of Wales. Credit: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

Fellow body language expert Judi James said the hand placement was a “very telling-looking gesture”.

“That simple hand gesture showed Sophie’s dual role today,” she told the Mail.

“She is always the royal who brings a sense of calm and support to some of the most emotionally-charged royal occasions.

“She and Kate always appear to be close and to share a sense of humour but Sophie’s gesture here seems to show her in a more maternal mode, as she places on hand on or near Kate’s back as she stepped inside the building.

“The gesture looked similar to the back touches William had been performing the night before.

“It registered fondness and maybe a small congratulatory ‘well done’ for another milestone achieved in terms of Kate’s return to royal duties.”

The pair appeared on the balcony of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office just before 11am local time to stand for a two-minute silence to mark Remembrance Day.

The event, broadcast across the country, was also attended by 10,000 military veterans.

Queen Camilla was notably not in attendance as she is recovering from a chest infection.

King Charles III with Prince William and Princess Anne, Princess Royal. Credit: WPA Pool/Getty Images

King Charles, dressed in his Royal Navy uniform of the Admiral of the Fleet, laid a wreath of poppies at the base of the Cenotaph in Whitehall, near Downing St, in recognition of the fallen in conflicts dating back to World War I.

His eldest son and the heir to the throne, Prince William, left his own floral tribute — featuring the Prince of Wales’ feathers and a new ribbon in Welsh red.

William reflected earlier this week on the strain that the cancer scare had placed on the royal family.

“I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done,” William told reporters on Thursday as he wrapped up a four-day trip to South Africa.

“But from a personal family point of view, it’s been, yeah, it’s been brutal.”

- With AP