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The Royal Family are typically very poised and unflappable, but they are human after all and everyone has their moments when they lack composure. Body language expert Judi James spoke exclusively to Express.co.uk about two occasions Queen Elizabeth II displayed some surprising body language and made others “lose their cool”.
Judi told Express.co.uk: “Royals are famously stoic and unflappable in public but every so often we get a glimpse of a different side to those traits when they are caught off-guard, showing a very alternative set of body language responses.”
The late Queen was by nature collected and centred, a pillar of stability for her family and the country.
However, according to the body language expert, there were two occasions where the Queen displayed some rather uncharacteristic behaviour.
The expert observed a moment between the late Queen and a young Prince Harry when he was commissioned Officer at Sandhurst.
READ MORE: Queen Elizabeth II had ‘especially strong bond’ with one grandchild
Harry always seemed to be the one to make his fellow Royal Family members chuckle, often pictured laughing with Kate or Princess Eugenie.
However, on this occasion, the Prince was reduced to fits of laughter by Her Royal Highness.
Judi said: “The late Queen seems to have been the one royal almost never caught off-guard in public in terms of her body language behaviour but that didn’t mean she couldn’t naughtily catch other royals’ unaware now and again.
“Here she was inspecting the troops during the sovereign’s parade at Sandhurst.”
When she spotted her grandson the Queen was pictured grinning and Harry could barely contain his giggles.
“The challenge for the troops is to stand rigidly to attention but there was one young man in the line-up she just couldn’t avoid trying to make break ranks and smile,” Judi said.
“Her body language here looks polite, regal and impeccable as always but what exactly did she mutter to Harry to make him crack up like this?”
More than a decade later, the Queen had certainly not lost her sense of humour and made Camilla lose her “cool” in 2021.
READ MORE: Charles makes ‘rare and jaw-dropping’ gesture to Camilla – expert
According to the body language expert, a practical joke by the Queen left Camilla feeling a little startled.
Judi said: “The late Queen was set to cut a cake at the Eden Project in Cornwall with Camilla and Kate watching.
“A knife had been provided but the Queen showed her love of a playful prank when she instead asked to use a huge and very dangerous-looking ceremonial sabre.
“The sight of her mother-in-law wielding the sword created a response of fear and panic in Camilla, who dithered slightly before nudging Kate to presumably disarm the monarch for fear she might cut herself or behead someone nearby.
“But Kate coolly ignored the nudge, aware the Queen was totally on top of the moment.”
When told there was a knife the Queen’s retort, ‘I know there is but this is more unusual,’ hinted she knew exactly what she was doing here and probably laughing about it inwardly.”
The late monarch was known for her wicked sense of humour and ability to leave the Royal Family in stitches.
Indeed, historian and royal biographer Robert Lacey once said: “She had a wonderful wry and dry sense of humour, and it was a very important ingredient of her identity.”
