These days King Charles III appears to be a kind and devoted grandfather to his wife Camilla's four grandchildren, in addition to his own five grandchildren.

But according to one body language expert, this did not come naturally to him when his first grandson, Prince George, was born in 2013.

Indeed, Judy James observes that, at least for the first few years, Prince Charles was quite distant with little George, but less so when Charlotte and Louis were born.

"Charles was 65 when George was born, and his first grandson seemed to put him in the position of 'grandpa in training,'" James told the Express.

"His body language suggested a much more confident, hands-on approach, not only to Charlotte and Louis, but also to Camilla's (four) grandchildren.

"In the few photos of the two together, Charles seemed to hold George like a dud."

"His affection was obvious, but when it came to relaxed touches and hugs, he seemed restrained.

For James, there is another reason why Charles sometimes treats George a little differently than his brothers and cousins.

"Knowing how important it is for George to take on a more serious and weighty role as soon as possible, Prince Charles seems to gaze at George with interest and warmth, but not at a palpable distance," James observed after viewing family photos.

"Even when George is sitting on his lap in the official photo (opens in new tab), Charles is gently placing his hand around George's ribs.

However, James also explained that these observations in no way imply that the grandfather and the eldest grandson do not have a special relationship - quite the contrary.

"This is perhaps a slow-burning relationship that can lead to a very deep bond of shared passion, cause, and mutual respect," she said.

"Like his grandfather, George seems to be growing into a rather thoughtful young man who takes his royal duties seriously, and his interest in the environment and gardening will be something they can share."

Charles III is the grandfather of Prince William's three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, and Prince Harry's two children, Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor.

Meanwhile, he often spends time with Camilla's grandchildren, Eliza, Gus, Luis Lopez, and Laura Parker Bowles.