King Charles “didn’t want to be” at Royal Ascot on the opening day today (June 20), according to one body language expert.
According to leading body language expert Darren Stanton, speaking on behalf of BonusCodeBets, the King was masking a smile to avoid letting on that he didn’t want to be there.
The King and Queen have arrived at #RoyalAscot 🏇
The Royal Family have a longstanding relationship with the races at @Ascot – dating back to Queen Anne in 1711! pic.twitter.com/4jL5Nu3B8u
— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) June 20, 2023
King Charles is using a “masking smile”
The late Queen Elizabeth was known for her love her horse racing. However, her eldest son reportedly isn’t as big a fan. Darren claimed: “He doesn’t seem completely overjoyed to be at Royal Ascot. He’s putting on a masking smile, which is to try and show some kind of enjoyment.
“We tend to use masking smiles to avoid being rude or seeming ungrateful – it could even be when we’re not feeling great. Perhaps he doesn’t want to be there or he found it too upsetting.”
It’s the first time King Charles has been to Royal Ascot in the capacity of monarch following the Queen’s death last year. As a result, Darren suggested that he’s likely to find it daunting, despite his smile.
He continued: “It was a masking smile for the cameras. I didn’t think it was a genuine sign of enjoyment, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing – it is a part of his obligation as monarch to attend these events.”
He suggested that it will be quite a poignant occasion for the King, given his mother’s association with the event. He said: “There’s going to be a lot of triggers at Royal Ascot that will trigger emotions for the King, including sadness … He’s doing his best to put on a brave face while being emotional”.
The King and Queen’s tribute to Queen Elizabeth
The King is thought to be attending every day of the annual event this year. It marks the first time since 2019 that the monarch has done so. And alongside Queen Camilla, he honoured his mother with a message in the programme for this year’s Royal Ascot.
They wrote: “The Royal Meeting always played a central role in Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s calendar and the naming of the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes will be a most appropriate way to mark this lifelong interest.”
They also made reference to a photographic exhibition in the Grandstand, which they said would “prompt many happy memories”.
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