Queen Camilla Has Helped King Charles "Loosen Up," But He Appears "Tense" Without Her

"He was quite a nervous man... Camilla has been a catalyst for change."

King Charles wears a gray suit with a black top hat, while Queen Camilla wears a large royal blue hat with a matching jacket
(Image credit: Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images)

King Charles and Queen Camilla's relationship only appears to have gotten stronger through the years. And according to a body language expert, Camilla has helped Charles to make some positive changes, particularly when it comes to greeting the general public.

Body language expert Darren Stanton explained on behalf of Betfair Slots, "Charles used to keep himself to himself." Describing the monarch as being "quite reticent towards the public" in the past, that seemingly changed when Camilla took on a larger royal role.

"As the years have gone by, Charles has evolved quite a lot and become more and more confident," Stanton said. "In the earlier stages of his life, he was never that confident. If you look back to his engagement interviews with the late Princess Diana in the '80s, he was quite a nervous man and made this clear through his gestures."

Since marrying Queen Camilla, then Camilla Parker Bowles, in April 2005, Charles seems to have developed in confidence. "Camilla has been a catalyst for change," Stanton explained. "When he attends an event with Camilla, you can see him looking for her and he appears tense when she's not around."

According to Stanton, Camilla reassures Charles with small tactile gestures when they're at events. "She is very important and has really helped him develop confidence," the body language expert explained.

The Duchess of Gloucester, Kate Middleton, Prince William, King Charles, Queen Camilla, Timothy Laurence, Princess Anne all wearing black and standing in a balcony at the 2023 Festival of Remembrance

King Charles and Queen Camilla at the 2023 Festival of Remembrance.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Stanton also suggests that Charles has become more comfortable when it comes to interacting with the public. "He loves to connect and be present and accessible," the expert claimed. "His willingness and easiness to shake hands and hug people, look them in the eye, match and mirror body language shows growth, he has much less distance."

According to Stanton, the fact that Camilla didn't grow up as a member of the Royal Family likely influenced her husband "for the better"

"She is from an affluent background but with less rules and regulations," Stanton noted. "She's shown Charles he can loosen up and be more loving. I think Camilla has made Charles feel confident to be the King he wants to be, and do things his way."

King Charles and Queen Camilla stand under umbrellas in the rain

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Noting body language cues, such as keeping his hands out of his pockets and not playing with his cufflinks, Stanton claims that Charles oozes confidence now.

"His eye contact is very good, and he maintains it for a normal amount of time, which helps build trust and rapport quickly," says Stanton.

Referencing The King's sense of humor, Stanton noted that conversation seems easier for Charles than it once did. "He's much happier to talk and ask questions and seems genuinely interested," Stanton explained. "He clearly doesn't take himself too seriously, which is great."

Amy Mackelden
Contributing Editor

Amy Mackelden is a contributing editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.