Kate and William using ‘gestures’ to become more ‘hands off’ parents, body language expert says

William and Kate have made ‘intentional gestures’ to become more ‘hands off’ parents with their eldest children, as George has taken a ‘protective role’ over his younger brother Louis, a body expert has said.

King Charles was joined by the rest of the Royal Family on their traditional Christmas walkabout to St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk, on Sunday.

It was the first Christmas they spent without Queen Elizabeth II following her death in September.

Judi James, a body-language expert, told The Daily Mirror how the couple made several ‘intentional gestures’ to show how they are now becoming more ‘hands-off’ parents with their eldest children, George and Charlotte.

The Princess of Wales walks hand-in-hand with her youngest son, Louis on their traditional Christmas walkabout, alongside Charlotte, George and William

Body language expert Judi James said that George has transformed into the ‘older brother keeping an eye on the four-year-old Louis’ as he is pictured reaching for his little brother’s hand 

Judi said that seven-year-old Charlotte was ‘pulling ahead’ on the way to the church.

She added: ‘George has gone from being the rather shy-looking boy holding his father’s hand to the older brother keeping an eye on the four-year-old Louis.’

Judi said: ‘One of the sweetest and most poignant body language signals was the sight of George using touch, chat and bending rituals to signal he is now in the role of protector and ‘keeping-an-eye-on’ monitor for his younger brother Louis.’

Cheeky Louis also took charge, as he was filmed running after the family so that he could give Charlotte a bouquet of flowers. 

He also tugged on Kate’s hand as he grew impatient during the walkabout.

Judi explained that while William was putting his hand out to touch his eldest son’s back and leaned towards him, George showed these same actions to his ‘playful’ younger brother. 

She then compared these gesture to old footage of Harry and William growing up. 

Judi said: ‘After the footage of a young William and Harry growing up together that was shown in Harry’s Netflix show, it looked like a poignant mirror-image of how their sibling relationship shaped up before they grew up and fell apart.

‘William was shown in caring mode for Harry back then, just as George is now with Louis.’

George confidently walks ahead with his father, The Prince of Wales, to greet well-wishers on Christmas Day

Following the Christmas Day Service at St Mary Magdalene Church on the Norfolk estate, the eldest royals Charlotte and George greeted well-wishers together

A handshake from Louis! The young royal followed in the footsteps of his parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales, to meet well-wishers 

It comes as William ‘won’t tolerate’ others speaking negatively about Prince Harry despite his ‘anger and sadness’ over the Netflix documentary, according to insiders. 

As the royals walked into the church at the weekend, a sweet moment of brotherly love was captured on camera as Prince George reached out to guide his youngest brother, who has taken part in his first ever Christmas Day walkabout.

But Louis proved he is a natural as he flashed a sweet smile to the camera while walking into the church.

The mischievous young prince also picked up a feathered Santa toy from a well-wisher, which he carried with him while his mother spoke to a young girl who had come out to say hello. 

While they are much older than him, it was only the second time that Prince George, nine, and Princess Charlotte, seven, have attended due to the cancellations of 2020 and last year at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

As Prince Louis looked adorable in a black coat and a pair of shorts (traditional for young royal boys until the age of eight), his older sister Charlotte wore the same burgundy coat she appeared in at the Together at Christmas carol service broadcast on ITV1 on Christmas Eve.

During the service at Westminster Abbey, which had been organised by her mother Kate, Charlotte was front and centre, giggling at the Dean of Westminster’s anecdote about his cat’s fondness for tinsel and lighting up as Hugh Bonneville read an extract from Paddington Bear in tribute to Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth. 

While greeting royal fans on the Sandringham estate, the Princess of Wales told one well-wisher that her children ‘got lots of lovely things’ this year but had ‘quite an early start’.