With anti-monarchy protesters gathered outside Westminster Abbey and fresh scrutiny hanging over Britain’s royal family in the wake of a police probe into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor‘s ties to predator Jeffrey Epstein, the recent Commonwealth Day service could have been an uncomfortable affair.
Instead, the royals did their best to keep the mood light as they arrived at the London landmark.
There were warm greetings, easy smiles and even a moment of playful teasing, according to an expert lip reader.
As Princess Anne greeted Kate Middleton, lip reader Jeremy Freeman told Britain’s Daily Express, the Princess Royal appeared to joke about their oversized hats, asking the Princess of Wales, “Should I duck?”
Kate laughed and replied, “I know, I was thinking whether I should…”
The lighthearted moment didn’t go unnoticed by royal watchers.
“Lovely scenes as members of the Royal Family greet each other at today’s Commonwealth Day service at @wabbey — quite a bit of joking amongst the ladies about whether they should kiss given the size of their hats,” Rebecca English — the Daily Mail‘s royals editor — wrote on X alongside a clip of the exchange.
“Princess Anne made clear she wasn’t even going to try,” she added.
Lip reader reveals more exchanges
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According to Freeman, who analyzed news footage of the arrivals, there was more being said than viewers could hear.
Prince William was seen speaking with his aunt Anne, at one point telling her, “I agree, of course, that’s another conversation.”
The Prince of Wales moved on to greet his father, King Charles III, with a kiss on each cheek. He greeted stepmother Queen Camilla with a kiss on the cheek as well.
The monarch responded to his son with a casual, “Oh, hello,” while Camilla told William, “Hello, darling, good to see you,” Freeman revealed.
Later, as the event was about to begin, Charles instructed Camilla, “Quick, over here.”
Anne’s playful streak
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Anne’s teasing comment to Kate was just one of several moments that stood out.
The Princess Royal was also seen greeting a guard, telling him, “Looking good,” before pausing to take in the sounds of a band playing steel drums, noting, “Very nice, too.”
Turning to her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, Anne added, “That was fun,” and “Wonderful,” Freeman told the Express.
Earlier, Anne greeted her nephew William with a gentle, “You alright? You look well,” to which he replied, “Yep, I’m fab.”
Under pressure
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While the atmosphere among the royals at the Abbey appeared calm, the scene outside told a different story.
Members of the anti-monarchy group Republic gathered across the street holding signs that read “Abolish the monarchy,” “Down with the crown” and “Not my king.” A large yellow banner also asked the question, “What did you know?”
The protests came weeks after the former Duke of York was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
An investigation was launched after documents released by the U.S. Justice Department appeared to reveal the former Prince Andrew shared sensitive government information with Epstein while serving as Britain’s trade envoy.
For the first time since the late 1980s, the BBC chose not to broadcast the Commonwealth Day service live, opting instead to air an episode of Escape to the Country, a popular property show.
The BBC said the call was the result of budget pressures.
“Our decision not to broadcast the Commonwealth Day ceremony in the same way we’ve done in previous years reflects the difficult choices we have to make in light of our funding challenges,” a spokesperson said.
Critics, however, have suggested the move may also have had something to do with the recent increase in anti-monarchy protests.