Kate Middleton’s ‘unwavering eye contact’ in new video – ‘assertive’

Kate Middleton shares message for Addiction Awareness Week

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Kate Middleton took to Twitter on Sunday, writing: “Today, during #AddictionAwarenessWeek, I want to offer a message of support to those who are continuing to suffer. I know this was not a choice. Recovery is possible.” The Princess of Wales paired the caption with a short video highlighting the importance of ending the stigmas surrounding addiction.

Kate, the patron of addiction charity The Forward Trust, said in the video that addiction is “a serious mental health condition” and “not a choice”.

Her video message was released at the start of Addiction Awareness Week – and echoes the work of her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana.

The late Princess of Wales advocated for addicts to be treated with compassion and was the patron of the charity Turning Point.

In her own message, mother-of-three Kate urged addicts not to let shame stop them from getting help as “recovery is possible”.

She says she has met many drug addicts during her work for the charity and they can be any age, gender or race.

She said: “Attitudes are changing but we are not there yet and we need to be. Still the shame of addiction is stopping people and families asking for help and people are still tragically losing their lives.

“We as a society need to recognise that the only way to help those suffering is to try and understand what has led them to addiction, to empathise with them and to be compassionate to their struggles.”

Judi James, a body language pro, spoke exclusively to Express.co.uk to analyse the Princess’ body language in the newly released clip.

She said: “This is a very direct and assertive approach from Kate, sitting straight to the camera and using unwavering eye contact as she quite firmly addresses the problem of addiction.

“There is an air of authority in her delivery, although her pose also suggests modesty, sitting in the middle of a wide sofa and with no splaying to create a power signal.”

According to the body language expert, Kate uses one key body language gesture to promote “seriousness”.

She explained: “Kate is unsmiling to promote the seriousness of her message.

“Her arms are held slightly away from her sides to suggest confidence and determination.

“Plus, her slight head tilt endorses that idea of confidence and a sense of wanting to project a message that she backs wholeheartedly.”

When Kate Middleton married into the Royal Family more than a decade ago, one of the first charities that she became patron of was Action on Addiction.

Now the Princess of Wales, she continues to use her profile to shine a spotlight on this crucial issue, hence why she released a video message of support for an addiction awareness campaign.

The campaign aims to build awareness, reframe perception and reduce prejudice around addiction.

It is led by an organisation called the Forward Trust, which Kate became patron of in June 2021 when it merged with her existing charity Action on Addiction.

A lot of the Princess’s work over the past decade has been aimed at a greater understanding of mental health challenges and how these can be linked to the earliest years of a person’s life.

Chief Executive of The Forward Trust, Mike Trace, said in a statement that “addiction is growing across the UK” and “it is crucial we build awareness of its causes and act quickly to stop this tide”.

Addiction Awareness Week runs from Sunday, October 30 to Sunday, November 7.

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