Following long months of anticipation, a video clip of Kate Middleton walking on the Windsor estate were published in news outlets around the world on Monday
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Judi James, an expert in reading body language, explained that the princess's exceptional behavior showed that she was full of energy after her long absence from public view. “It is completely stunning to see the most sought-after woman in the world and the subject of speculation and rumors on social media suddenly appearing like this looking not just healthy, full of energy and incredibly happy but also making no apparent attempt to hide while out in public,” she told UK-based outlet Daily Mail.
“While William keeps his face partially hidden under his cap and his head lowered, Kate’s body language here suggests a desire to be seen. Her head is up and her long hair is billowing while she wears a cheek-rounded smile that seems to signal she is completely upbeat and cheerful. It suggests a point is, quite naturally, being made in terms of reassuring fans and quashing all the rumors,” she added.
Of course, even now, and despite the clear attempt to calm things down, there were those who managed to worry royal fans again. Take, for example, Us Weekly magazine, which moments after the video appeared offered a new question to its 5 million followers on Instagram: "Why doesn't Prince William wear his wedding ring?" the post read. A dig through past photos of the prince makes clear that he has never worn his wedding ring on any public occasion.
Other rumors surrounding Kate's condition and the status of her marriage to the prince surfaced, saying William left her for his alleged lover Rose Hanbury, a former friend of Middleton's. Last weekend, sources close to the royals said that the couple are troubled by the speculation about their marriage.
“They are at their most open when out interacting with members of the public and I can see a world in which the princess might discuss her recovery out on engagements,” Middleton’s friend told the Daily Mail and added that this was likely what the princess planned on doing. “They appreciate the public's love and affection for their children and know there is a public appetite to see them.”
Another source added that the royals would be clear on the issue “when they feel ready,” adding: “I would expect that to be [Kate's] instinct and it will be her call. They're not going to be rushed.”
It should be noted that after the video was released, foreign entertainment outlets reported that for the first time since the rumors began, Hanbury’s lawyer denied the reports of a romance with the prince.
The UKs Mirror reported on Tuesday that Middleton's new secretary - Lieutenant Colonel Tom White, together with William's private secretary Ian Patrick, were the ones working to dispel the rumors surrounding the princess's absence.
"The teams are working round the clock to devise the Princess of Wales’s back-to-work plan after weeks of immense pressure. They all know that the world will be watching after weeks of heightened speculation and often outlandish commentary on social media,” a source told the outlet.