Lip reader and body-language expert describe frosty exchange between Prince Andrew and Prince William after Duchess of Kent's funeral

A lip reader and a body-language expert said footage from the Duchess of Kent’s funeral shows a chilly exchange between Prince Andrew and his nephew Prince William as the royal family gathered on the steps of Westminster Cathedral.

The lip reader told the Daily Mail that the Duke of York appeared to reminisce with the Prince of Wales, saying “we had a lovely time didn’t we then” and later adding, “and spending time with us.” The lip reader said Prince William did not reply verbally, but glanced at his uncle, looked away, nodded and maintained a solemn expression.

Body-language analyst Judi James, speaking to the same newspaper, described the interaction as “very frosty,” saying Prince William’s gestures — avoiding eye contact, rubbing his nose and shifting his weight — signalled discomfort and a wish to end the conversation. James characterised Prince Andrew’s expression during the brief interchange as a “smug-looking smile.” Both analysts framed their comments as interpretations of the publicly available footage rather than contemporaneous remarks made by the royals.

The exchange followed a private Requiem Mass for Katharine, Duchess of Kent, who died on Sept. 4 at age 92. The service at Westminster Cathedral was attended by several senior royals, including King Charles III; Catherine, Princess of Wales; Prince William; Prince Andrew; and Princess Anne. Buckingham Palace said Queen Camilla did not attend after withdrawing shortly before the service because she is recovering from acute sinusitis.

Witnesses and commentators noted a range of interactions as the family departed the cathedral. Video shows King Charles speaking with his daughter-in-law before taking his seat in the State Bentley. Prince Andrew was filmed standing at the front row during the service and later speaking with his former wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, while also exchanging words with Princess Anne as family members moved away from the building.

The funeral was a Catholic requiem mass, the first for a member of the monarchy in modern British history, and included personal elements such as readings by three of the Duchess’s grandchildren and musical selections the family had chosen. The choir and organist of Westminster Cathedral performed choral works by Maurice Duruflé and Mozart’s Ave verum corpus, which the Duchess had named as a favourite on Desert Island Discs in 1990. A piper from the Royal Dragoon Guards played the lament “Sleep, Dearie, Sleep,” a tune also heard at the late Queen Elizabeth II’s 2022 funeral.

Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster, said attendees were moved by the combination of “quietness and grandeur” in the service and paid tribute to the Duchess’s record of private charity work and public service. The Duke of Kent, the Duchess’s husband and a cousin of the late queen, followed closely behind the coffin as it was carried from the cathedral and watched as it was placed in the royal hearse.

The brief, widely discussed interaction between Prince Andrew and Prince William comes amid continuing scrutiny of Andrew’s public role. The Duke of York stepped back from public duties in 2019 following criticism over his association with financier Jeffrey Epstein. In recent weeks, historian Andrew Lownie’s biography of Andrew, Entitled, attracted media attention and reportedly prompted legal edits to parts of the book; Lownie has said portions he removed were significant, a point that has been widely reported.

Photographs and video from the day also show other relatives arriving and leaving: the Duke of Kent used a walking stick, accompanied by his daughter Lady Helen Taylor and sons, and members of the extended royal family, including Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, attended. Some family members were photographed travelling together or arriving by bus.

Buckingham Palace described the ceremony as a private family service. The coverage of the event and the analyses by the lip reader and body-language expert focus on a short period of movement and conversation after the Mass, and the interpretations published in the Daily Mail present one view of the nonverbal dynamics observed on camera.

Katharine, Duchess of Kent, was 92 at the time of her death. The requiem mass at Westminster Cathedral reflected family preferences and personal elements chosen to commemorate her life of service and private charity work, as described by clergy who took part in the ceremony.