The Queen 'couldn't face going in to Prince Philip's funeral alone'

The Queen ‘couldn’t face going in to Prince Philip’s funeral alone’, while Charles had ‘uncontrollable grief in his eyes’ and Harry and William shared a ‘genuine moment of unity’, a body language expert has claimed.

Analysing the footage from the Duke of Edinburgh‘s funeral today, held at St George’s Chapel in Windsor, Judi James said Her Majesty, 94, had an obvious ‘need for some support’ as her beloved husband of 73 years was laid to rest.

The body language expert noted the moment the Queen ‘paused for reassurance’ before entering the chapel. 

She also suggested the Prince of Wales, 72, showed the ‘most open signs of what looked like uncontrollable grief’, with the body language expert highlighting his reddened eyes, seemingly wet with tears. 

But while the eyes of the world were on Prince William and Prince Harry’s reunion following the Sussexes’ bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, Judi said the warring brothers shared a ‘genuine moment of unity’ following the service.

Here, FEMAIL reveals the body language expert’s verdict on the royal family’s emotional reactions during Prince Philip’s funeral… 

The Queen ‘couldn’t face going in to Prince Philip’s funeral alone’

The Queen sat alone inside St George’s Chapel today as Covid regulations forced her to be separated from her family and wear a mask. 

The 94-year-old monarch cut a figure of silent dignity as she watched on while her beloved husband of 73 years was laid to rest. 

Following strict social distancing rules during the pandemic, the queen set an example even in grief, sitting apart from family members arranged around the church.

Other royals who are in family bubbles sat together. 

‘The Queen provided the most memorable moments, in her isolation in the chapel where she sat with her head dipped so low that her face was completely covered from view by her hat,’ said Judi.

‘There was one moment when she paused and turned around before entering the chapel and it looked terribly poignant, almost as though she couldn’t face going in alone. She turned for what looked like reassurance that her party was behind her.’

The monarch had arrived at the service in the royal Bentley with her lady-in-waiting Lady Susan Hussey, 81, widow of former BBC chairman Marmaduke Hussey.  

Although entering the chapel, Lady Susan was there as a working household member and not one of the 30 guests.

Remaining nearby in case the Queen should need her, Lady Susan was not seated with the Windsors in the Quire, nor in the Nave, but elsewhere in the chapel.

‘She could be seen dabbing one eye as she sat in the car, suggesting tears, but she was also chatting to her lady-in-waiting, suggesting she was gathering some comfort from the company,’ said Judi.

Despite the Queen’s ‘need for support’, she was also the ‘most animated royal’, according to the body language expert. 

‘She talked in quite an animated way to her lady-in-waiting and to the bishop at the entrance to the chapel,’ noted Situs Judi Slot Terbaik Dan Terpercaya No 1.

Prince Charles had ‘uncontrollable grief in his eyes’  

Meanwhile, a tear rolled down Prince Charles’ cheek during his father Prince Philip’s funeral this afternoon as he followed the Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin while accompanied by his sons Prince William and Prince Harry.

The Prince of Wales, 72, sombrely walked in procession from Windsor Castle with senior members of the royal family behind Philip’s custom-built Land Rover Defender hearse.

Charles led his siblings Prince Edward, Prince Andrew and Princess Anne, his sons the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex, and Peter Philips, Vice Admiral Tim Lawrence and the Earl of Snowdon. 

In St George’s Chapel, the prince had further tears in his eyes as he put on a black face mask before taking a seat next to his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. 

‘It was Charles showing the most open signs of what looked like uncontrollable grief with his eyes reddened and apparently wet with tears above his mask’, explained Judi. 

Prince William and Prince Harry shared a ‘genuine moment of unity’

The eyes of the world were on the reunion of Prince William and Prince Harry after the Duke of Sussex hinted at the extent of the alleged rift between the two brothers during his tell-all Oprah Winfrey interview. 

But Judi suggested a ‘moment of connection’ happened between the warring siblings at the end of the service, as they left the chapel. 

‘In a well-coordinated but also relatively natural-looking moment Harry walked up behind William and Kate to then join them, walking between them and chatting to them both,’ explained the body language expert. 

‘After a few second of what looked like natural and not self-conscious conversation Kate fell back, leaving the two brothers walking off, talking alone. 

‘It looked like a genuine moment of unity rather than something contrived for the cameras,’ added Judi.

During his explosive tell-all with Oprah, Harry hinted at the extent of the alleged rift between the two brothers, claiming that their relationship was now ‘space’, but added he hoped time would be a healer. 

He went on to claim he was ‘on different paths’ to William, saying: ‘I love William to bits, he’s my brother. We’ve been through hell together, we have a shared experience, but we were on different paths.’

Following the interview, CBS presenter Gayle King claimed she had spoken to the Sussexes who told her that Harry had talked to the Duke of Cambridge and Prince of Wales after its airing – but she said the conversations were ‘not productive’.  

‘Unconfident’ Prince Harry had ‘suppressed anxiety’ 

Judi suggested the grief-stricken Queen appeared relatively relaxed compared to her grandson Prince Harry, 36.

She said: ‘Walking beside Peter Philips and lined up with his brother William, Harry appeared to be performing the body language of subtle bravado, looking about and even chatting to some of the royals behind him, but looking less confident as he emerged to walk behind his grandfather’s coffin.

‘While William strode looking straight ahead and giving nothing away in terms of any acknowledgement of his brother, Harry performed a couple of self-comfort rituals that hinted at levels of suppressed anxiety. 

‘Pulling at his waistcoat, he also performed a shoulder-roll in the actual chapel, a gesture that can imply someone is bracing themselves and trying to boost their own confidence.’

Sophie Wessex rushed to support the Queen 

During the Queen’s pause before entering the chapel, ‘Sophie Wessex seemed to move forward quickly, removing her mask as though to reassure the Queen of her presence and support’, said the body language expert. 

‘Sophie appears to be very close to the Queen and even closer during Prince Philip’s final days.

‘It looked telling that Sophie appeared to move forward more quickly and pull her mask off in what could have been a gesture of support,’ Judi added.

Sophie, Countess of Wessex, joined her husband Prince Edward and her children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Viscount Severn, as they bowed their heads in a sombre tribute to Prince Philip following the service.

Mike Tindall had a ‘touching expression of grief’

Meanwhile, the body language expert said ‘there were also some very touching expressions of grief from Mike Tindall, who was staring down with wide eyes at one point’.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s granddaughter Zara Tindall was joined by her husband Mike at St George’s Chapel for Prince Philip’s funeral.

Looking teary-eyed, it was the first time that Zara, 39, Princess Anne‘s daughter, had been seen since giving birth to her son Lucas Philip Tindall three weeks ago.  

Zara looked poised as she wore an understated round-necked black gown and a lace headpiece, which she paired with elegant silver droplet earrings, as she was joined by her husband Mike for the service.

During the funeral inside St George’s Chapel, an emotional Zara’s eyes appeared to be reddened while her make-up was lightly smudged as she stood with her head bowed beside her husband.

Like her cousin Princess Eugenie, Zara named her newborn son after her beloved grandfather.

However, in a tragic turn of events it is thought he never had the chance to meet his two youngest great-grandsons due to Covid restrictions.