Relaxed Kate Middleton pets dogs on outing with William after ‘tense’ parade

Kate Middleton laughed happily with fans as she and Prince William toured the Lake District after a stiff appearance at the Queen’s birthday parade.

Kate Middleton looked happy and relaxed as she and Prince William greeted the public in England’s Lake District, just days after her stiff appearance at the Queen’s birthday parade.

Dressed in a khaki jacket, jeans and boots, the 37-year-old smiled and joked with fans as she and her husband visited the market town of Keswick, in Cumbria.

The mother of three playfully grabbed a three-year-old girl’s extended foot and petted three spaniels, one of them a therapy dog the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met last month at a Buckingham Palace garden party.

Kate Middleton, 37, looked happy and relaxed as she met the public in the market town of Keswick, in Cumbria. Picture: Peter Byrne/PA Wire

The casually dressed Duchess of Cambridge playfully grabbed the foot of Pearl Walker, 3, in the town centre during a visit to the Lake District. Picture: Peter Byrne/PA Wire

The royal couple had invited Max and owner Kerry Irving, a mental health campaigner, to meet them as they toured Cumbria, where they will also visit a sheep farm.

Kate’s laid-back demeanour was in sharp contrast to her tense appearance at the Trooping the Colour parade on Saturday.

Body language expert Judi James told The Sun: “Kate’s posture was slightly self-diminished, curled in slightly and with her arms pulled into her sides and her hands clasped in her lap.

Prince William and Kate greeted therapy dog, Max, who they first met with mental health campaigner and owner Kerry Irving at Buckingham Palace last month. Picture: Peter Byrne/PA Wire

Kate wore jeans, boots and a khaki jacket as she chatted to fans and petted three spaniel. Picture: Peter Byrne/PA Wire

“Kate’s non-verbal confidence signals have been increasing recently but the lack of relaxed splaying here suggested inner tension.”

Kate brightened up once she and William, 36, joined their children Prince George, 5, Princess Charlotte, 4, and Prince Louis, 1, on the Buckingham Palace balcony. The group looked like the perfect family as they laughed and pointed at the Red Arrows fly-past with their fellow royals.

Her relaxed appearance was in stark contrast to her tense posture on Saturday as she attended the Trooping the Colour parade with Camilla and other royals. Picture: Trevor Adams / matrixpictures.co.uk

Kate seemed on edge during the Queen's annual birthday parade in London. Picture: Trevor Adams / matrixpictures.co.uk

Meghan Markle looked radiant on her first royal engagement since the birth of her and Prince Harry’s baby Archie. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

The Duchess of Cambridge perked up once she was reunited with Prince William and Prince Louis, one. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

New mother Meghan Markle looked far more cheerful during the parade, as she showed off a third band on her wedding ring finger during her first royal engagement since the birth of baby Archie.

Royal watchers speculated that the Duchess of Sussex may have received a “push present” from Prince Harry, 34, who looked tired during the celebrations.

A radiant Meghan, 37, rode in a carriage down The Mall with her husband, Kate and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, to cheers from thousands of fans.

Prince William, Colonel of the Irish Guards, arrived in uniform on horseback with his father Prince Charles, the Colonel of the Welsh Guards.

The ceremony is one of the most iconic royal parades, with more than 1400 soldiers, who had trained for months, 300 horses and 400 musicians, on display to honour the Queen.

The Queen arrived in a procession full of pageantry featuring a Sovereign’s Escort from the Household Cavalry, made up of Life Guards and Blues and Royals, in their silver and gold breastplates and plumed helmets.