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Kate, Princess of Wales is a Royal Patron of Place2Be and recently met with primary school children to discuss Children’s Mental Health Week and the importance of connection. In a newly released video, the Princess is seen sitting a table helping several children make paperchains. Express.co.uk spoke to body language expert Judi James about Kate’s interaction with children, and whether she is more at ease with younger people than in a room full of adults.
The video began with Kate saying: “I’m delighted to be supporting Children’s Mental Health Week yet again, and it’s lovely to be here at St. John’s Primary School.
“It’s been wonderful to speak to so many children here about the importance of connections and the important people in their lives too.”
Kate asked the children at the table why connecting with others is important, and then listened intently whilst she was given a range of answers.
She then wondered: “Who is also special in your lives? Your friends, absolutely? And what do friends give you that’s harder to get from your family?”
The children explained how they can connect and open up to their friends by playing together.
The royal then held up a colour spectrum and asked: “What do all the different colours mean?” A girl beside her explained: “Blue is when your sad, tired – when you’re feeling a bit down. Red is when you’re so angry.”
Kate added: “[So] really strong feelings. If you’re in the red zone, what can you guys to help?” And the children spoke about their coping and supporting mechanisms.
She then said: “Thank you for having a chat with me today, and keep talking about your feelings and keep asking others how they’re doing, and helping them to talk about their feelings as well.”
Kate concluded the video with a piece direct to the camera: “I’m a firm believer in giving children the skills that they need for life and focusing on their social and emotional development.”
Judi watched the full clip and offered her analysis. She said: “Kate’s confidence has grown over the last three or four years.
“The piece to camera reflects that as she puts her message across using bouncing rituals and a head tilt and a dimpled, shared smile to register enthusiasm that comes across as contagious.
“She looks warm and engaged here, but it is when she is filmed sitting with the children that she really displays her capacity for a very skilful but relaxed approach that allows them to share their thoughts and feelings despite the presence of the cameras.
“Plus she truly appears to be enjoying herself!” The expert remarked.
“Kate does everything here to not look like a royal on a visit. Her role is more as a facilitator and motivator, making the children feel comfortable about answering her questions,” she noted.
“She uses her own body language to draw their thoughts out, making the conversation sound as natural as possible but showing active listening signals to make them feel important.”
Judi also spots Kate using “some gentle tie-signs, like a subtle widening of the eye; a lean forward to lower her status while raising theirs, or a colluding smile to encourage them [the children] to speak”.
“She is also using the kind of distracting technique that parents and teachers often know about, helping the children to make paper decorations while questioning them to make the chat feel more natural and to keep them relaxed.”
Judi added: “Kate does seem to be in her element here, not relishing her own performance, but using her own skills to help the children relax and enjoy sharing their thoughts. She even manages to look totally at home making her own paper chains.”
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