Princess Beatrice showed 'risky' face-hiding move at Prince Philip's memorial

Live footage from Prince Philip's memorial service at Westminster Abbey on March 29 showed Princess Beatrice bursting into tears. But a body language expert claimed that she may have sent a wrong message when she covered her face.

The clip showed the princess crying when she saw her father Prince Andrew escorting Queen Elizabeth II to her seat. Caught with emotion, she then hid her face before she reached for her handbag to grab a tissue.

Princess Beatrice's husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi can be seen in the video rubbing her back to console her. While this was a tender moment captured on camera, body language expert Judi James thought otherwise.

She called the gesture "shocking" and said that it could be misinterpreted by viewers. She explained that by hiding her face, Princess Beatrice could have sent out a "very complicated message." It could hint at her shame at seeing the Duke of York with the British monarch.

"We saw how Beatrice became overwhelmed by tears after her father arrived with his mother and the Queen had taken her place in front of her, but Beatrice's response as he first honed into view was equally shocking and more than a little puzzling," James told the Mirror.

She continued, "As the Queen and Andrew first walked level with the royals, Eugenie did appear to glance at an angle that meant she could see her father in her peripheral vision. After spotting him though, she appeared to turn her gaze forward."

Princess Beatrice, on the other hand, "seemed to already have her face hidden by her order of service. She performed this total face-covering, shielding ritual after her tears once the Queen and her father were in position, but hiding her face as they walked in would have sent out a very complicated message."

James said that it could be seen as the princess "hiding tears of relief and joy at what looked like his re-appearance in public." However, she claimed that face hiding can also "suggest shame, making this a risky public gesture."

It is said that Queen Elizabeth II insisted that Prince Andrew ride with her to Westminster Abbey from Windsor. She also agreed to have him escort her inside. But other reports claimed that the Duke of York persuaded his mother to let him escort her to the televised service.