Princess Catherine cancer diagnosis: Hidden messages in video revealed

An Australian body language expert has revealed the telling clues of “distress” in Princess Catherine’s emotional video message.

An Australian body language expert has revealed the hidden messages in Princess Catherine’s “catastrophic” video message in which the future queen announced she was battling cancer.

In the deeply emotional footage, filmed at Windsor, Princess Catherine told how she was undergoing preventive chemotherapy after her shock diagnosis.

Dr Louise Mahler, a Sydney-based expert in body language and communication, described the video as “devastating” and said Catherine’s delivery of her message revealed the much-loved royal’s overwhelming sadness and “distress”.

A body language expert says Princess Catherine is showing signs of distress in her video message. Picture: BBC Studios/Kensington Palace via Getty Images

The hardworking royal’s “out of character” absence from the spotlight — while King Charles continued to work after his cancer diagnosis — had been a sign that the Princess’s health issues were serious, she said.

Dr Mahler said 42-year-old Catherine appeared to have lost weight and was on the verge of tears throughout her shock announcement.

Princess Catherine during her shock video message.

“With little makeup and the pants appearing to hang from what no doubt are very slim legs, it is not her external appearance that is so revealing, but her delivery,” Dr Mahler said.

“The message is catastrophic. Sadness oozes from every pore and her expression is one step away from breaking into tears.

“Her body is slumped one direction, but her head is tilted the other almost as though she is wriggling away from revealing this news, which must be incredibly difficult.”

Dr Mahler said the Princess of Wales’s wriggling fingers and thumbs, particularly when she mentioned her young children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, indicated her extreme distress.

“Trying to remain calm, her thumbs and fingers wriggle and fidget and tell a whole story on their own,” Dr Mahler said.

“There is no high stress in her body, which would mean panic, but rather a low, dropped devastation that puts the source of energy in those two hands, held low and together in an uncharacteristically central position on her legs.”

The royal’s eyelids drooped down during her message.

“Normally Kate has her palms flat and open, and she closes her hands rhythmically. This time it is different. Here she begins immediately with her right hand clenched and the left hand gently on top.

“When she mentions it has been an ‘incredibly tough couple of months’ the two littlest fingers on her left hand begin wriggling wildly as a sign of distress and this happens markedly again when she mentions her ‘young family’.”

“At times she caresses her right hand with her left hand and at one point her left hand, as well as her right, caves over and clenches in unison.”

Dr Mahler said the Princess brightened momentarily when talking about husband Prince William being a source of comfort to her.

“She goes on to tell us she is well right now and her leg kicks up with some energy as she tries to rally and mentioning William as a great source of comfort, her thumbs begin caressing each other gently,” Dr Mahler said.

“Her eyes are not sparkling as usual, with the eyelids seeming to droop and while she normally finishes sentences with a smile, her mouth could not even find the energy to turn upwards. Absolutely nothing can lift her spirit.”

The mother-of-three’s voice broke when she mentioned how she was focused on making a full recovery, Dr Mahler said.

“When she mentions her focus to make a full recovery, her voice breaks, but her strongest message was in her close that reaches out to others and as her body straightens and her voice becomes stronger as she shares ‘You are not alone’.

“She is taking it hard, and the pain is palpable. This is serious.”

Originally published as Princess Catherine cancer diagnosis: Hidden messages in video revealed