What That Kate Middleton & Jessie J Hug Really Meant, According to an Expert

The body language says it all

Published Nov 20, 2025

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6:56pm

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Last night, Kate Middleton and Prince William made a stunning return to the red carpet at the annual Royal Variety Performance at London’s Royal Albert Hall. While the couple looked absolutely stunning (that slow-motion entrance, though!), an equally moving moment came when Kate shared a heartfelt hug with singer Jessie J and it's just been decoded.

Photographers captured the touching moment between the 37-year-old English singer-songwriter and the Princess of Wales. If your first thought was, "Wow, that looks genuinely heartfelt," you’re not alone and, according to body language expert Darren Stanton, you’re not wrong.

Speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino, Stanton shared, “There is a real heartfelt connection, it is not just a showbiz hug. You can see that Kate has her hands tucked right around Jessie J and it is reciprocated.”

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“They are matching and mirroring each other’s gestures and emotions—a sign of really deep trust between them," Stanton continued. “If that trust wasn’t there, people subconsciously would not allow that level of closeness.”

Stanton also explained the concept of proximal zones, noting, “We keep people at different distances depending on our relationship with them. Even in a hug with someone you aren’t close with, there will be some distance. That was not the case here; they both let each other in. The hug is similar to one you would see between close friends or family. There is clearly an incredibly strong connection between the two of them.”

“There is a strong empathy between them, they both have their eyes closed. This is a gesture that signals understanding and a sense that they feel safe in each other’s presence,” Stanton added.

The moment, which occurred after Jessie J’s performance, was later explained by the singer herself. Speaking to The Independent, she shared that their shared experiences with cancer prompted the hug.

“Mum to mum, who has just recently gone through cancer, I just wanted to give her a hug,” Jessie J said. “We acknowledged that it’s something that is not easy to go through, especially in the public eye.”

Between the red carpet glamour and this quiet, moving connection, last night was a reminder that even royals—and pop stars—share very human, deeply personal moments.

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Clara Stein

Freelance PureWow Editor

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