King Charles and Queen Camilla were spotted in a “rare” emotional display today as a veteran addressed the monarch’s cancer battle. The King, 76, and Queen Camilla, 78, took a break from their summer holidays to attend the National Arboretum in Staffordshire to mark the 80th anniversary of VJ Day – the day in which World War II officially ended.
During the memorial service, Charles and Camilla listened to Yavar Abba, a 105-year-old war veteran, make a speech. In the speech, Mr Abbas said he was “going off the script” before saluting Charles and calling him “my brave King”. He said: “To salute my brave King who is here with his beloved Queen in spite of the fact he is under treatment for cancer, an ailing that I share with him, and if it provides any comfort, of which I’ve been rid for the past 25 years and counting.”
Charles and Camilla both appeared to be overcome with emotion listening to Mr Abbas, with body language expert Judi James saying that such a display of sadness was “rare”.
She exclusively told Express.co.uk: “It’s not unknown for royals to touch an eye or look down to signal sadness during memorial services, but a matching and very emotional display of sadness like this one from Charles and Camilla is rare.
“Charles in particular looks overcome by tears as the very elegant Yavar Abbas refers to ‘my brave King and beloved Queen’, performing a sturdy and prolonged salute.
“The reference to Charles’s cancer and his empathetic message of hope seems to have made Charles give up his struggle to hide his feelings and to just weep.”
Judi continued: “Initially, he (King Charles) hides his eyes by lowering his head so they are hidden beneath the peak of his cap, but his knuckles rub at his upper lip and mouth in a rather childlike ritual of self-comfort.
“He even bites at his fingers in what looks like an attempt to control his tears but when his eyes are made visible they look distraught, with what appears to be flowing tears.
“Camilla appears less keen to hide her emotions here, dropping her hands from her face while Charles covers his. Her eyebrows are puckered in sadness and then we can see what looks like a puckering and trembling of her chin, which usually presages genuine tears.”
King Charles met Mr Abbas after the service at a reception, alongside other war veterans.
