Body language expert says Prince Andrew and Prince William exchanged 'very frosty' interaction after Duchess of Kent's funeral
Analyst tells Daily Mail that Andrew tried to engage William at Westminster Cathedral while the Prince of Wales showed minimal nonverbal response; funeral marked a rare royal Catholic requiem mass
A body language expert who spoke to the Daily Mail said Prince Andrew and his nephew Prince William had a "very frosty" exchange after attending a requiem mass for Katharine, the Duchess of Kent, at Westminster Cathedral.
The expert, Judi James, told the Daily Mail that footage showed the Duke of York turning to catch William’s attention and attempting a light-hearted exchange, while the Prince of Wales appeared to give only a brief nod and display signals of discomfort. James described Andrew’s expression as a "smug-looking smile" and said William’s gestures — avoiding eye contact, a brief head inclination, rubbing his nose and a movement she interpreted as "subject closed" — suggested an unwillingness to engage.
Separate footage published by the Daily Mail showed the Duke of York laughing and sharing a light moment with his former wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, during the service and again as attendees left the cathedral, with William appearing visibly uncomfortable in some shots. Buckingham Palace had seated Andrew in a front-row position for the private family service.
The requiem mass honoured Katharine, the Duchess of Kent, who died on Sept. 4 at the age of 92. Attendees included King Charles, the Prince and Princess of Wales, Princess Anne, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent and members of the extended family. Buckingham Palace announced that Queen Camilla would not attend as she recovered from acute sinusitis.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster, said guests were moved by the combination of "quietness and the grandeur" of the service and described the late duchess as a figure of "kindness and empathy" who combined private charity with public service. The mass included personal elements, such as three of the duchess's grandchildren reading the Prayer of the Faithful, and musical selections chosen by Katharine, including Mozart's Ave verum corpus and a bagpipe lament performed during Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in 2022.
The requiem at Westminster Cathedral was noted by the cardinal as the first royal funeral celebrated in a Catholic church in probably 300 years and the first time the king had attended Mass in the cathedral, reflecting the duchess's Roman Catholic faith and long-standing charitable work.
Prince Andrew stepped down as a working royal in 2019 amid fallout over his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein but continues to attend private family events. The Duke of Kent, Katharine's husband, followed the coffin as it was carried from the cathedral, aided at times by a walking stick. Members of the extended royal family, including Lady Helen Taylor and other grandchildren, were among those processing and paying tribute.
The funeral at Westminster Cathedral combined traditional requiem elements with personal recollections from family and clergy. Cardinal Nichols recalled Katharine's charity work and a public moment of consolation she offered to a Wimbledon finalist as examples of her character. The service reflected both public ritual and private mourning for family members and friends who attended the ceremony.