Prince Charles' Body Language At Philip's Funeral Speaks Volumes About Their Relationship
Prince Charles attended the funeral of his late father, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, on April 17, 2021, at St. George's Chapel in Windsor. The event was emotional for the entire British royal family, but it was especially so for Prince Charles. In photos from the day, the prince had tears in his eyes and rolling down his cheeks while at the ceremony and during the procession — a heartbreaking visual of a son saying goodbye to his father one last time.
Prince Charles and his father, Prince Philip, weren't always a close father-son duo. They've definitely had their differences over the years and, in fact, there were periods of time where their relationship was tense, according to The Independent. Their bond seemed to improve later in life, according to Kinsey Schofield, founder of ToDiForDaily.com, a website about the British royal family. Schofield told Nicki Swift, "The two genuinely enjoyed each other's company and realized that they had much more in common than they originally anticipated. Prince Charles will not only miss his father but his friend."
And Prince Charles' tears and general body language at the funeral were indicative of their now-close father-son relationship, according to a body language expert.
Prince Charles' body language clearly conveyed grief
Robin Konie, a certified movement analyst (CLMA), had plenty to say about Prince Charles' demeanor during Prince Philip's funeral on April 17, 2021 — and what it all meant for the father and son's relationship.
Konie, who works as a public speaking coach and helps leaders refine their body language for better non-verbal communication, told Nicki Swift that she noticed that Prince Charles' body in general showed he was grieving. She saw that "his aging body created a soft, downward pull from his otherwise upward-reaching posture." He also lowered his head and looked down, which Konie called "small signs of grief."
As for the tears, Konie noticed the Prince of Wales tried to keep from crying at first. She said, "At times he blinked rather quickly, suggesting an attempt to stop tears." Unfortunately, that didn't seem to work for Prince Charles. Ultimately, he did tear up at his father's funeral in a sweet and heartbreaking moment.
Twitter found Prince Charles' tears to be endearing
Viewers of Prince Philip's April 17, 2021 funeral reacted strongly to Prince Charles' tears at the event. Many of them really felt for the Prince of Wales, who was mourning the loss of his 99-year-old father. One user tweeted, "Every time I see Prince Charles I want to burst into tears for him." A few users even noticed how Prince Charles was fighting back tears, ultimately failing. One person on Twitter wrote, "Bless Prince Charles. Fighting to hold back the tears."
The emotional moment even endeared him to the people who aren't big fans of Prince Charles or the royal family in general. Another Twitter user tweeted, "I've never been a fan of Prince Charles, but seeing him visibly in tears while walking behind his Fathers coffin was heart wrenching. But seeing the Queen sitting alone at Prince Philip's funeral absolutely broke me. She is a strong lady."
It seems like the funeral showed Twitter that the royals have real emotions, just like everyone else. And like anyone else, Prince Charles will reportedly spend quality time with his family during this difficult time.
Prince Charles and Prince Harry were reportedly spending time together
On April 18, 2021, The Daily Mail reported that Prince Charles and his son Prince Harry have reportedly planned to spend some quality time together mourning Prince Philip's death, before Prince Harry heads back to his home in California. According to The Daily Mail's sources, the father-and-son duo wanted to walk around Windsor and look at the tributes the public left for the late Duke of Edinburgh.
This was a big deal for one reason. Much like how Prince Philip and Prince Charles' relationship was once fraught, Prince Charles and Prince Harry's own relationship has seemed to hit a bit of a rough patch. In March 2021, Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, participated in a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey that painted the British royal family in an overwhelmingly negative light. Royal sources told The Daily Mail that the interview "deeply hurt" Prince Charles.
Page Six noted that if Prince Charles and Prince Harry spent time together on April 18, it would be the first time they've interacted one-on-one since the interview aired. Like he once did with Prince Philip, perhaps Prince Charles and his youngest son will one day repair their relationship.