Queen Elizabeth II, 91, and Prince Philip, 96, are celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary on Monday.
Prince William, 35, and Kate Middleton, 35, broke with royal tradition on their wedding day when they kissed on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
But what was Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip’s wedding day like in comparison? A body language expert, Judi James, has claimed the couple’s body language is ‘shocking’ in comparison to what Britons are used to today.
She said: “Placed in the context of modern-day marriages, even the marriages of our still-formal younger royals, the body language of the Queen and Philip on their wedding day is so full of glaring status imbalances that it’s a testament to their feelings for one another that they’ve not only survived the seventy years but thrived in terms of togetherness signals.”
The expert added: “We’re so used to seeing the royal balcony appearance feature some typical, even-handed newlywed behaviours including a kiss, that it is quite shocking how little Philip featured in the action back in 1947.
“It was clearly seen as the future Queen’s moment and she stood ahead of and apart from her husband, ignoring him throughout as she hailed the crowds with that old-fashioned royal wave she had been taught by her mother and which involved a rigid upward hand set on a swivel.”
The Prince in lauded for gracefully allowing his wife to take the limelight throughout their marriage, accepting the Queen’s role as British monarch.
During this moment the pair were already adopting the roles they would rely on throughout their seven-decade-long love, with Prince Philip taking the background while carefully watching out for his wife.
Judi said: “Prince Philip was already cracking open his signature hands-behind-the-back pose and you can see why. Apart from a couple of joint royal waves he was left checking the princess’s train was being arranged properly and that the doors were closed once everyone had trooped back inside.”
Royal protocol was very much the order of the day in 1947, and all eyes were expected to be on the Queen and her parents, Judi claimed.
Judi said: “Status seemed to be a crucial value back then and that appeared to dictate that the King and Queen and their beloved elder daughter were the stars of the show.
“Philip threw his new wife a swift glance at one point but the pressures of being regal seem to have outweighed any desire to bring him up and into the action.”
However, the love between he couple was still very evident throughout the day, the body language expert claimed.
Judi said: “It was during other, less formal footage of the Queen and Prince Philip when they were more relaxed and alone together that we start to see the strong affectionate ties-signs that endure today.
“In these Philip was able to adopt a stronger and more dominant role with the Queen often looking like a lovesick teenager.”
Judi has also analysed the Queen and Prince Philip’s body language throughout the years.
She revealed the moments that show the strong and very loving bond between the pair.
The Queen and Prince Philip have always been rather subtle in public when it comes to their relationship, preferring not to indulge in displays of public affection. However, while the pair are subdued in their body language, the signs of their love, which has lasted for seven decades, are obvious to the trained eye.
Prince Philip has supported the Queen on many official public outings during the course of the their marriage.
Daily Express :: Life and Style Feed
