Since their wedding in 2011, Kate Middleton and Prince William have attended hundreds of combined royal events, but they never seem to be very tactile.

The royals are rarely seen holding hands or hugging in public, unlike many other couples – so what does this indicate about their relationship? This is not only a show of professionalism as they carry out their duties as senior members of the royal family, but it also signals that they are autonomous persons who are quite comfortable in their relationship, according to a body language expert.

“One thing that is undeniably clear about William and Kate as a couple – and has been from the start – is that they are undeniably on the same page,” Darren Stanton, speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino, said following the couple’s first outing of 2022, which saw them visit the Foundling Museum in London. They’re so at ease with each other and around each other that they don’t feel the need to be tactile all of the time. This was evident during [their] encounter, when they kept a modest distance from one other while maintaining the same posture.

“This might be interpreted as a sign of strength, as the couple is content to operate independently despite attending activities together. William was spotted leaning in close to Kate to converse to her on a more personal level at one point, a gesture that shows how delighted they are to be in close proximity to one other, references to their increased rapport, and says they are a very solid relationship indeed.”

He went on to say that Kate exiting the vehicle on her own while William followed displays her “feeling of independence within her relationship with William” as well as “the faith she and William have in each other’s competence.”

The pair, who just marked their tenth wedding anniversary, have three children: Prince George, eight, Princess Charlotte, six, and Prince Louis, three.

Judi James, a body language specialist and author, previously said that the epidemic likely strengthened the couple’s closeness.

“William and Kate’s body language has evolved steadily over time, accelerated by the pandemic and lockdown,” Judi explained. “Time spent as a family appears to have strengthened relationships as a couple and as a working team, and appears to have turned back the clock in terms of their public displays of affection and love.”