Body language expert says Prince Andrew and Prince William had 'very frosty' exchange after Duchess of Kent's funeral

A body language expert told the Daily Mail that Prince Andrew and Prince William appeared to have a "very frosty" exchange after the funeral of the Duchess of Kent at Westminster Cathedral.

The expert, Judi James, said video published by the Daily Mail showed the Duke of York mouthing a few words to his nephew as the two men stood in the front rows of the private family requiem mass. James described William's responses as minimal — a brief nod and avoidance of eye contact — which she interpreted as signs of awkwardness and a desire not to engage. She added that Andrew displayed what she called a "smug-looking smile" as he attempted to elicit a mirrored response.

James told the newspaper that William used a sequence of nonverbal cues — little head inclination toward Andrew, looking down or away, and an exaggerated rubbing of his nose — that she interpreted as an attempt to create distance and signal that the interaction was "closed." The Daily Mail also published separate footage it said showed Andrew sharing a joke with his ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, and laughing while standing beside the Prince of Wales.

The Duke of York was seated in a prominent front-row position at the service, which was attended by senior members of the royal family including King Charles, the Prince and Princess of Wales, Princess Anne and the Duke of Kent. Andrew stepped back from public duties in 2019 amid fallout over his association with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, but he has continued to attend private family events.

The requiem mass on Tuesday was held for Katharine, Duchess of Kent, who died on Sept. 4 at the age of 92, Buckingham Palace said. The service at Westminster Cathedral was led by Cardinal Vincent Nichols, who described the congregation as "very moved by the quietness and the grandeur combined together" and praised the duchess for a life of service and kindness.

"She was a down-to-earth Yorkshire woman who knew how to serve and be part of the Royal Family without ever losing that care for people who were worse off and in difficulties," Cardinal Nichols said, according to the Daily Mail. He recalled public and private acts of compassion, including her presence at a notable Wimbledon final and charitable work in Lourdes.

Personal elements were incorporated into the Catholic ceremony, with three of the duchess's grandchildren reading the Prayer of the Faithful. The service included musical selections chosen by the duchess, among them Mozart's Ave verum corpus and a Scottish bagpipe lament performed by a piper from the Royal Dragoon Guards. The mass was the first royal funeral celebrated in a Catholic church in modern British history and marked the first time the king has attended Mass at Westminster Cathedral, the newspaper reported.

Buckingham Palace announced shortly before the service that Queen Camilla had withdrawn from attendance as she recovered from acute sinusitis. Other attendees included Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, Prince Michael of Kent and members of the extended royal family. The Duke of Kent followed his late wife's coffin as it was carried from the cathedral.

The Daily Mail's coverage included the body language analysis and video excerpts on which James based her observations. The palace did not comment on the private interactions among family members at the service. The duchess's funeral proceedings and the attendance of senior royals drew attention both for their ceremonial elements and for the private dynamics observed among those present.