How Kate Middleton helped Prince William kick habits of ‘anxiety’ and embrace future as King

Kate Middleton played an important role in preparing Prince William to be King by helping him overcome certain 'self-assurance behaviors', a body language expert has claimed. 

• Kate Middleton was a crucial force in helping Prince William overcome habits of 'anxiety', a body language expert has claimed. 
• The Duke of Cambridge may seem like a natural at his job now, but he reportedly hasn't always been so secure in his ability to lead the Royal Family. 
• In other royal news, Prince William to delay 40th birthday party for special reason.
  

Kate Middleton has helped Prince William to prepare for kingship by inspiring him to overcome habits of 'anxiety', a body language expert has revealed. 

As second in line to the throne, the Duke of Cambridge has known since he was a child that he would succeed the eldest of the Queen's children, Prince Charles, as British monarch one day. 

However, despite growing up with this awareness, it's only in recent years that he has begun to fully embrace the reality of his regal destiny. The 40-year-old has previously suffered from a lack of confidence at public engagements, with photos of a younger William showing him "displaying self-reassurance behaviors" that suggest he was experiencing "anxiety", a body language expert has claimed. 

"We self-reassure ourselves by touching the face, folding both arms, or even picking at sleeves on a jacket as a way of deflecting our attention away from the person or situation in front of us that is causing concern or anxiety - doing so gives us psychological breathing space to retreat for a moment," explains English psychologist Darren Stanton. 

Speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino, the TV hypnotist goes on to describe certain behaviors that William adopted in public to relieve his discomfort in public settings. 

One "reassuring gesture when feeling anxious or uneasy" favored by the Duke was the act of "placing the flat of your hand inside your jacket", a self-soothing reflex that Prince Harry has also practiced in the past. 

"Another tell-tale sign of William’s to show he is uncomfortable is the Royal playing with the button on his jackets or touching his cufflinks," Stanton adds. 

The future King has relied less on these coping mechanisms in recent years, however, as he becomes increasingly confident in his high-ranking role. According to Stanton, William can credit much of this growth to the positive influence of his wife, Kate Middleton. 

“Kate has had a lot to do with building William’s confidence, especially during Royal engagements and meeting other civil dignitaries," he explains. 

“Kate, herself, is quietly confident and she is happy to attend events on her own without William as much as she is alongside him. She’s built her relationships with other members of the senior Royal family and her willingness when it comes to her Royal duties appears to have had a big influence on the way that William now thinks." 

The arrival of the couple's adorable three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, have also been instrumental in helping William kick his old anxious habits.  

"Of course, becoming a father has given William a great deal of inner peace and tranquility and boosted his confidence in himself," says Stanton. 

The Queen began training Prince William to be King from the age of 13, inviting him over to her Berkshire residence for afternoon tea every Sunday while he was boarding at the nearby Ludgrove School. 

"When William became a teenager, she would have him at Windsor Castle and would open the state boxes and guide him through the papers," Robert Lacey, historian and royal consultant to The Crown, explained.