It is an evasive media technique that has become increasingly prevalent among some of the world’s most high-profile football players.

However, it seems that Prince William might have taken some pointers from his admired sports figures, as he was seen covering his mouth to discreetly communicate with Prince Andrew in a remarkable encounter.

Caught on camera at the steps of Westminster Cathedral after the Duchess of Kent’s funeral in mid-September, the Prince of Wales was observed deliberately concealing his mouth while making a brief statement to the Duke of York.

Prior to William’s concealed words, Andrew had been seen chatting to his nephew in a jovial manner, adorning a bright grin before lightly chuckling.

Subsequently, the Duke’s expression immediately changed following William’s concealed, succinct remarks, while William, maintaining his gaze forward, appeared visibly uneasy.

What exactly was said between the two Royal men in that moment remains unknown. 

But the Prince of Wales’ deliberate shielding technique is not a unique trick. Rather, it is a calculated move often seen on the football pitch.

The practice of covering one’s mouth, which has often irritated both fans and the Premier League, prevents observant viewers and media personnel from discerning the specifics of what is often a heated debate during games.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, brand and culture expert Nick Ede mentioned that William’s deft move is undoubtedly because the prince is ‘very aware that every move he makes is scrutinized, analyzed, and replayed’.

Prince William might be drawing inspiration from his favorite sports figures after he was seen covering his mouth to discreetly address Prince Andrew. This encounter was documented on the steps of Westminster Cathedral following the funeral of the Duchess of Kent.

The Prince of Wales’ deliberate shielding trick is a calculated move often seen on the football pitch. The hand-to-mouth gesture ensures that eagle-eyed viewers, alongside members of the press, are unable to garner the details of an often heated exchange mid-game

Explaining the tactical hand placement, he said: ‘By covering his mouth, he’s using a very modern media-savvy technique we’ve seen time and time again with footballers, celebrities, and politicians who want to keep private conversations just that, private.

‘It’s a subtle signal that he understands the power of lip readers and the potential for a comment, however innocent, to be taken out of context and magnified across global media. 

‘William is showing that he knows how to manage his image and protect his words.’

It comes amid claims that both Andrew and his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, better known as Fergie, have already been informed they will not be welcome at the Royal Family’s Christmas celebrations and are therefore to make themselves ‘invisible’ at future Royal gatherings.

King Charles is also understood to be hoping to keep both the Duke and Duchess of York at arm’s length amid a fresh scandal for the pair in relation to prolific paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. 

An uncovered email from 2011, exposed by the Mail on Sunday, revealed that Fergie had apologised to Epstein and described him as her ‘supreme friend’ less than two months after telling journalists: ‘I will never have anything to do with (Epstein) again.’

Since the grovelling messages to the notorious sex predator were made public, seven charities have dropped the duchess as a patron, while other charities are also reportedly reviewing their positions.

The tactical hand-to-mouth action William used is believed to have origins in South America where lip readers are often hired by TV stations to depict what was being conversed while players sat on the bench.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, brand and culture expert Nick Ede said that William’s shrewd technique is undoubtedly due to the prince being ‘very aware that every move he makes is scrutinised, analysed and replayed’

The tactical hand-to-mouth action is believed to have origins in South America where lip readers are often hired by TV stations to depict what was being conversed while players sat on the bench. Pictured: Xavi Hernandez of FC Barcelona covers his mouth with his hand

And in this particular instance, Mr Ede added that given the sensitive nature of the Duchess of Kent’s funeral, alongside the ‘heightened public interest’ in the disgraced Duke, the stakes were ‘high’ for the prince to get this interaction right.

He added: ‘By shielding his mouth, he’s essentially creating a barrier between his personal interaction and the media lens, ensuring that no narrative is spun from the comments he’s making.

‘This small but deliberate gesture shows William’s deep understanding of the media landscape.’

While the details of William’s words are unclear, according to a lip reader, Andrew may have been attempting to reminisce with the Prince of Wales about a previous time they had spent together, telling him ‘we had a lovely time didn’t we then’.

But William makes no reply, simply glancing at his uncle before studiously looking forward, thin-lipped, rubbing his nose and rocking on his heels.

After a quick smirk and an awkward pause, the Duke then attempted to continue the conversation. ‘And spending time with us,’ he adds, to which William does not respond, instead simply nodding his head in silence.

The evasive move during the seemingly icy encounter between the two Royals is one that former Manchester City star Kyle Walker has self-confessed to, insisting that it is deliberately undertaken by players in a desperate bid for privacy.

Sharing the details of the media smart hack on his BBC podcast, ‘You’ll Never Beat Kyle Walker’, he said: ‘You might be swearing, or having a little bit of banter.

It comes amid claims that both Andrew and his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, better known as Fergie, have already been informed they will not be welcome at the Royal Family’s Christmas celebrations and are therefore to make themselves ‘invisible’ at future Royal gatherings

The evasive move during the seemingly icy encounter between the two Royals is one that former Manchester City star Kyle Walker (pictured left) has self-confessed to, insisting that it is deliberately undertaken by players in a desperate bid for privacy

 ‘You might have seen them on a night out the week before, and you’re just having a bit of banter, but it is what it is.

‘In the world we live in now, everything – you’ve got lip-readers now, what is this world coming to?’

In 2018, a Premier League source told the Mail that they are ‘powerless’ to stop players and coaches from placing their hands over their mouths during matches, describing the gesture as ‘infuriating’.

They added: ‘Realistically there is nothing we can do – and now we have managers doing it, it makes it even harder.

‘It has been claimed that the reason for covering up is to stop tactical plans being seen by the opponents, but opposition players doing so while talking to each other at the end of games has become a common sight.’

Indeed, William’s adoption of a traditional football player’s media savvy technique seems almost unsurprising given his long-time support of Birmingham-based club Aston Villa.

The prince has often been spotted cheering in the stands, alongside Prince George, and has even tried his hand at TV punditry ahead of matches. 

Despite being a London-based Royal, William’s love for ‘The Villans’ started several years ago, with the Prince of Wales explaining to the BBC in 2015: ‘A long time ago at school, I got into football, big time.

While the details of William’s words to Andrew are unclear, according to a lip reader, the Duke had been attempting to reminisce with the Prince of Wales about a previous time they had spent together, telling him ‘we had a lovely time didn’t we then’

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 ‘I was looking around for a club to support, and all my friends at school were either Manchester United fans or Chelsea fans.’

But determined not to follow a ‘run-of-the-mill’ team, William opted to support Aston Villa.

Like father, like son – even George, aged 12, has shown interest in supporting the Claret and Blue, with the little prince spotted at Villa Park as well as at away games with both his father and friends.

George’s presence has fulfilled William’s dream that he would one day be able to share his incredible passion for the club with one of his children. 

‘He can support whoever he wants, but if he supports Villa it would be fantastic,’ the prince told Gary Lineker in 2015 when George was just two years old.

It seems that William’s long-time love affair with the sport has now reaped unexpected benefits, assisting him at a crucial time in which the eyes of the world remain firmly fixated on the monarch’s every move.