The Prince and Princess of Wales stepped out on the red carpet last night for the annual event, with body language expert Judi James decoding their ‘bashful’ and ‘confident’ appearance
Prince William and Princess Kate stepped out for the Royal Variety Performance on Wednesday night, looking glamorous and confident as they hit the red carpet for the annual event that has become a cornerstone of the royal calendar.
The Prince and Princess of Wales wore matching velvet ensembles as they posed for photos on the carpet, before mingling with performers inside. It was the sixth time William and Kate have attended the show, and the first since the princess’s recovery from cancer in 2024. Kate went all out for the event, wearing a figure-hugging dark green velvet gown with off-the-shoulder detail.
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The Princess of Wales wore her hair down in her signature loose curls, paired with diamond drop earrings. William matched in a black velvet suit jacket, which he wore casually unbuttoned with a white dress shirt and bow tie for the star-studded occasion.
Despite the cold London weather, the royal couple seemed in good spirits and exchanged ‘flirty’ glances on the red carpet, according to body language expert Judi James.
Judi told the Mirror US: “The royals haven’t always appeared totally keen to sit through the long hours of the Royal Variety show but William and Kate bring a new keenness and energy to the night, turning it into their own private date night as well as a charitable event.
“Kate and William are often at their flirtiest best when they are both fully glammed up for a red-carpet appearance and while Kate looks radiant here, William’s body language appears slightly bashful as he walks beside her. His hands hang slightly in front of his torso and his puckered smile suggests he’s slightly overwhelmed by the grinning glances Kate throws at him.”
She continued, “Kate looks confident here, walking ahead to greet the hosts but with one eyebrow raised in that flirty signal as she looks across to William and he responds with a hand on her back in a gesture of steering and protection.”
Inside the event at the Royal Albert Hall, William and Kate were treated to a star-studded show featuring performances from the West End cast of Paddington The Musical and singer-songwriters Jessie J and Laufey.
The royal couple spent time with Jessie J after the show , who performed her new song I’ll Never Know Why, inspired by the tragic loss of a friend to suicide. Jessie J, known for her hit Price Tag, underwent her own battle with cancer earlier this year, having a mastectomy for breast cancer in June.
Jessie J explained: “Mum to mum, who has just recently gone through cancer, I just wanted to give her a hug. We acknowledged that it’s something that is not easy to go through, especially in the public eye.”
The Royal Variety Performance is now in its 113th year – having first been performed way back in 1912, with King George V and Queen Mary attending. Each year, royal guests attend with William and Kate last watching the performance in 2023.
