Kate Middleton's Body Language With The Queen Over The Years Proves Their Bond Is Layered

Can you believe that Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, has been a part of the royal family since 2011? It feels like only yesterday, she was marrying Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, and we were all swooning over her gorgeous gown while Googling, "Single princes near me." TBH, we're still Googling that, but I digress. As a royal duchess, Kate has a LOT on her plate, but she handles it all with such grace and poise that it must make her in-laws proud. But do you ever wonder what someone like Queen Elizabeth really thinks of Kate, and vice versa? Well, you're in luck, because these photos of Kate Middleton and the Queen's body language reveal much more than what meets the eye.

To get an accurate idea of what their body language reveals, Elite Daily spoke with body language expert Blanca Cobb and body language and image expert Yana German who were able to narrate the gestures between Kate and the Queen based on photographs from their outings together. While both royal women always seem very poised and composed, it's interesting to look a bit deeper into a photo to see what their real, genuine emotion is towards one another.

To get a better idea of what's really going on in each picture below, read through our expert's opinions of Kate and the Queen's interactions.

Kate deeply respects and admires the Queen.

In this photo of Kate and the Queen's visit to the Fortnum And Mason Store in London in 2012, you see Kate smiling towards the Queen, but her body language reveals much, much more. "Kate keeps her hands to herself, yet she tilts her head slightly towards the Queen," German tells Elite Daily. "Her posture is upright, and she seems to hold her hands closer to her stomach as a way of guarding and protecting her own identity. There's a side to Kate where she wants approval of the Queen ... her head tilt indicates that she is not fully sure how to be completely herself and relaxed."

Considering she's around royalty 24/7, I can't say I blame Kate for being just a little guarded, but it's clear from this photo that she genuinely admires the Queen, which is so, so sweet.

Kate looks up to the Queen as more than just a royal figure.

Sure, Kate is royalty, but the Queen is the matriarch of the royal family — and Kate clearly respects that boundary. The above picture of The Queen and Kate's visit to Leicester, England is the perfect example.

"Although the Queen is walking ahead of Kate, the physical distance between the two of them suggests that there’s a level of closeness between them," says Cobb. "The person who’s ahead is typically the one who’s in charge or the dominant person — in this case, this holds true. Notice that the Queen holds her handbag with her right hand, which is a great sign because she’s not letting anything serve as a barrier between her and Kate."

But Cobb does point out that, while they definitely are respectful of each other's titles, they're not quite on the same playing field. "Notice how they’re walking? They’re leading on opposite feet, which suggests that they’re not quite in sync with each other. Again, this is a subtle sign that Queen Elizabeth is the lady in charge," Cobb explained.

But don't take this as a negative sign. According to Cobb, "This imbalance isn’t necessarily a bad thing. They can have a great relationship even with clear boundaries."

Kate genuinely enjoys spending time with the Queen.

This photo from the royal pair's visit to Vernon Park in Nottingham, England in June 2012 seems like it should be framed in Buckingham Palace, don't you think? According to Cobb, "Kate’s radiant smile and laughter, as well as her glance to the Queen, shows that she’s enjoying her company," adding, though, that their body language is strikingly opposite. "Queen Elizabeth shows open body language with [her arms] spread out in front of her body. Kate’s body language is closed with her arms by her sides and her hands clasped, which shows deference to the Queen."

It's obvious that Kate is consistently humbled by the Queen's presence, and the level of respect is insurmountable — but we also get to see that the Queen herself respects Kate, too.

The Queen is interested in hearing what Kate has to say.

It's not often that you get one-on-one time with the Queen, and when you do, I'm sure it can be a little bit anxiety-inducing. But Kate looks poised and elegant as she stands next to the Queen in this 2011 photo of the pair at Buckingham Palace. And it seems as though the Queen is intent on hearing what Kate has to say, too. "Now we see that Queen Elizabeth is attuned to Kate," Cobb says. "The Queen has her body and her feet angled towards Kate, and when you face someone, you’re showing that you’re enjoying their company and your interested in what they have to say."

I think we should bow down to both of these important, admirable women, for constantly showing the world that there's no greater family than the royal family. Do your thing, ladies!