King Charles’s Body Language Spoke Volumes During His Visit to Canada

"He certainly looked powerful."

King Charles
VICTORIA JONES/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

King Charles and Queen Camilla have officially touched down in Ottawa, Canada, marking His Majesty's first visit to the nation after his coronation.

The royal couple received a warm welcome from the local community and have since met with Prime Minister Mark Carney and his wife, Diana Fox Carney. Buckingham Palace also took to Instagram to share memorable moments, including their visit to Lansdowne Park and Rideau Hall. As you'd expect, the king was in high spirits, but according to body language expert Darren Stanton, there was more to the monarch's nonverbal gestures than met the eye.

camilla charles canada
Victoria Jones - Pool/Getty Images

Speaking on behalf of Betfair Slots, Stanton revealed that King Charles looked powerful and determined when he arrived yesterday. He explained, "It was clear from the crowds and the reaction of the public that everyone was elated over Charles and Camilla arriving. Charles also seemed really pleased to be visiting. His posture was upright, straight, and he wasn’t slouching, showing that he was completely engaged in taking it all in."

He continued, "In terms of his facial expressions, Charles seemed genuinely happy to be there—there weren’t any signs of a fake or masking smile. The emotions, from a microexpression point of view, were very genuine. He certainly looked powerful while taking on the event. He’s got that strong determination that his mother had."

The expert also called out a key gesture that spoke volumes about the king's relationship with Carney when they greeted each other.

charles mark carney 1
Victoria Jones - Pool/Getty Images

"Looking at the pictures of Charles and Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney, the feelings were very much reciprocated by him," Stanton said. "There is clearly a real, deep mutual respect between these two men. When you look at their handshake, it’s a really good, firm grip. I also noticed that Carney put both of his hands over Charles’ at one point, which is referred to as a double handshake. This shows that he has the utmost respect for the King."

"Overall, Charles appeared in really good spirits. It was all very positive, with great postures and eye contact. Both him and the Queen seem really strong in their character and general demeanor."

Today, the king is set to make history by delivering the Speech from the Throne at the opening of parliament. This will be the first time in nearly five decades that Canada's head of state gives the throne speech. (The last time this occurred was in October 1977, when Elizabeth II delivered it for the second time.)

Regarding the king's visit, Carney said in a statement that it "clearly underscores the sovereignty of our country," adding that His Majesty's speech is "a historic honour that matches the weight of our times."

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