William, Prince of Wales, and Catherine, Princess of Wales, have struggled to escape rumors that their marriage is on the rocks. Among the glaring signs they may be headed toward divorce, their chilly interaction at Trooping the Colour 2024 didn’t do much to quell the public’s suspicions — if anything, it only made the whispers grow even louder. Despite maintaining a united front, the palpable tension between them that day will always cast a shadow over their marriage.

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During the Royal Air Force flyover, Kate Middleton seemed noticeably more relaxed speaking with her father-in-law, King Charles III, often turning toward him while seeming less engaged with William. She and William also had a brief exchange during the ceremony, though their interaction came off as rather icy and distant in comparison. The event should have been a joyous occasion for the royal couple, as it marked Kate’s long-awaited public appearance following her tragic cancer diagnosis. But their body language told a different story.

Once again — (IMO) the woman had no Cancer, something went wrong between her and Bulliam and it’s the end of that marriage 👇🏽 a pic is a thousand words, not exactly the image of a ‘Happy Family’ pic.twitter.com/CdPMARQXdH

— Gisselle 👩🏽‍💻🇬🇧 (@Vibez_Gisselle) June 15, 2024

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Moreover, Kate and William were also photographed on their way to the Horse Guards Parade with their three children (who all live lavish lives), but their facial expressions were somber, as though they were headed to a funeral rather than a public celebration. “Not exactly the image of a ‘Happy Family,” wrote one X user. Another observed, “Look at William’s face. He looks [mad] as hell. He looks like if she says one word to him, he will go crazy on her. Maybe that’s why they have George sitting in the middle.”  

According to body language expert Traci Brown, who spoke to Nicki Swift exclusively about the royal couple’s frosty interaction at Trooping the Colour 2024, despite appearances to the contrary, there’s nothing unusual about the way Prince William and Kate Middleton behaved toward each other. “PDAs aren’t what the royals do,” she argued. “William and Kate aren’t acknowledging each other, but seem happier than I’ve seen them in one of these balcony situations.” To be fair, even King Charles III and Queen Camilla weren’t exactly affectionate during the balcony appearance. Meanwhile, behavioral expert Darren Stanton also offered his perspective, chalking the tension up to Kate’s nerves.

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“Her composure appears calm and collected on the outside … Internally, she’s feeling a sense of wanting to make people proud,” Stanton told Business Insider. “But she is also feeling nervous — which is understandable.”

Still, rumors of marital trouble persist, fueled by recent reports that William hired his mother, Princess Diana’s, divorce lawyer ahead of his 14-year wedding anniversary to Kate in April 2025. “Perhaps there’s a looming scandal about to be revealed,” one Reddit user posited, to which another replied, “Yep, a divorce scandal.” (See also: The most scandalous rumors about Prince William and Kate Middleton’s relationship.) But a royal source insisted it was simply William’s way of asserting his independence. “He did not want to continue using his father’s lawyers. It’s as simple as that,” the insider explained to Daily Mail, adding, “He wants to be his own man.”

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