Prince William’s Heartfelt Gesture at Pope Francis’ Funeral Resonates with Royal Supporters

Prince William has been praised for his composure at the funeral of Pope Francis, with royal fans calling it a “perfect king” moment.

The Prince of Wales, 42, represented his father King Charles at the service, which took place in Vatican City on Saturday. William was the only British royal present, joining world leaders and statesmen from across the globe.

Before taking his seat, William paid his respects at the late Pope’s sealed coffin, standing alongside UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.

Prince William at Pope Francis’ funeral
Body language expert Judi James has said William’s behaviour during the service showed he would one day make an “ideal king”.

Speaking to Express.co.uk, Judi explained: “It is probably the biggest compliment to William to say that he was close to invisible at the Pope’s funeral, with his elegant body language looking quietly composed and appropriate while all the global leadership dramas swirled around him.”

She added: “Unlike Trump and co, William had only one job which was to pay respects and he executed it perfectly. His height singles him out but his body language was low-key.”

As William stood beside Sir Keir Starmer at the coffin, Judi noted the small but meaningful gestures the Prince made.

“When he stood with Starmer at the coffin he bowed his head slightly in a moment of reflection and it was his call in terms of ending the pose as he turned out of it first to signal to the Starmers that it was time to move away,” she said.

Judi also remarked that William shares this important quality with his wife, Princess Kate, 43.

“It’s a quality that he and Kate tend to have perfected,” she said. “While they will never be ignored thanks to their stylish good looks, they will share the ability to attend important events like this without making it all about themselves.”

Kate did not attend the funeral and is believed to have stayed at their Windsor home with their three children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six.

Royal fans were quick to praise William’s dignified conduct during the service. One user wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “The Prince of Wales attending the funeral of Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City. His suit and tie is on point and Wills is looking every inch a statesman.”

Another fan commented: “Prince William is well thought of and very much loved and admired here in America… He will make an excellent king.”

A third said: “Prince William is not even King yet, but is already the face of the British Monarchy. He is front and centre whenever there is a ceremony or a celebration somewhere in the world. And it’s only going to get better when Wills actually becomes Monarch.”