Wallis Simpson and Edward VIII's body language revealed by Judi James

Edward VIII was the British royal born to be King, and spent less than a year on the throne. 

His wife, Wallis Simpson, was an American socialite who had already been married and divorced.

The former monarch's devotion to her led to him abdicating on December 10, 1936.

Body language expert Judi James has revealed to MailOnline how Ms Simpson was 'the most influential' of the pair. 

Despite Edward being the royal, Ms James explained how Wallis's gestures and interactions made her the more powerful partner in their relationship. 

'In an era of soft perms, curvaceous figures and full, flowing skirts, Wallis's severe styling and her rigid body language defined her as a woman of imposing strength of mind and voracious self-control,' Ms James said. 

Read on below as MailOnline reveals more of the body language expert's perspective on the couple who spent years in exile together.

Wallis's 'Amazonian pose' 

When they wed on June 3, 1937, none of Edward's family attended, nor did they look like a happy couple. 

Even the photographer, Cecil Beaton, commented how Edward had an 'essentially sad' look in his eyes.

The wedding photos looked solemn and rigid, and revealed a lot about what the couple were going through at the time. 

It came a month after the coronation of Edward's brother, George VI - a glittering ceremony attended by 8,000 guests.

Wallis's second divorce - from shipbroker Ernest Aldrich Simpson - had also only been finalised the month before. 

In the weeks leading up to his wedding, the Duke had been left furious by King George's refusal to grant Wallis the status of Her Royal Highness.

Their matching poses often signaled a solidarity with one another, according to Ms James, though 'it was often Wallis leading or dominating the pose as though it were her own construction'.

'Even on their wedding day, it was Wallis standing slightly to the front of their poses, eyes boring straight into the camera lens while Edward lurked beside her,' the body language expert added.

In many of the wedding photographs, Edward is stood with his arms crossed or behind his back, barely touching his new wife.

Ms James suggested it could be 'an infantile "best behaviour" gesture, keeping the hands out of any trouble'. 

While in some, Wallis stands straight in 'an Amazonian pose, military and "to attention", ready to protect, fight or strand her ground,' Ms James said. 

The body language expert revealed how Edward's arm-folding was 'quite revolutionary or even a rebellious step for any royal having a more formal photo taken.'

Given the controversy surrounding their marriage, Ms James suggested it could be a 'barrier ritual' that the former monarch used to protect himself from the judgment of the public. 

'There might have been a desire to avoid flaunting any sexual or even more romantic side to their relationship which would have shocked people even more,' Ms James added. 

'Gentleman's hand'

The couple's non-tactile poses featured in many photographs of them throughout their marriage.

Edward often adopted a stance where he would put his arm flat behind Wallis and created an appearance of closeness but did not involve any touch. 

Called 'the gentleman's hand,' according to Ms James, 'it normally implies a showmance when in a hug ritual there is no actual body touch with the fingers'. 

When they were photographed together on board the Queen Elizabeth, docking in Southampton in 1947, Edward used the 'Gentleman's Hand' pose.

Wallis can be stood rigidly with her arms either side of her, similar to the 'Amazonian pose' at their wedding. 

Edward leans back slightly, allowing Wallis to be positioned towards the front, with his arm resting on the railing behind her. 

In another example, the couple are in the Bahamas in the 1940s, outside of the Government house.

Edward has his arm resting against a wall and they lean in towards one another, somewhat affectionately, smiling.

'Limpet hold' 

The couple were photographed touching or showing physical affection so little that the formality between them led to rumours 'that there was actually a lack of attraction between them,' Ms James revealed.

But there were a few instances of the pair being snapped with their arms linked. 

Wallis clutched her purse in one hand and put her other arm through her husband's.

The clasp was described as a 'limpet hold,' by Ms James, which was 'tight and close'. 

Arm touch 

In a moment 'that seemed to define their relationship,' according to Ms James, Wallis displayed a 'restraining or controlling gesture' towards her husband. 

Edward and Wallis were in Yugoslavia on a holiday cruise in December, 1936.

As the former monarch leaned across to steady himself to get off the boat, Wallis 'put her hand on his in an unusual touch ritual'.

'She still had her bag hanging off her own thumb and her hand on his arm was held flat, making this more of a restraining/controlling gesture than one of affection,' the body language expert added.

'Lowering power pats'

While Wallis showed her husband tactile affection in some photos, Ms James suggests 'they appear to project a very powerful message of a status and power, balanced in Wallis’s favour'.

At a New Year party in January, 1952, Wallis was pictured as she leant in and touched her husband's head - both of them appeared to be smiling. 

In another instance in 1958 - as the couple travelled around America on a liner - both smiled as Wallis appeared to pat his hair.

Though instead of the hair pats being romantic gestures, Ms James suggests they 'look like semi-maternal gestures'.

The body language expert added: 'There is even one photo where it looks as though she is stroking a well-behaved puppy. 

'This should be lowering behaviour to a man who would have been King but his smiles suggest he is rather happy with the ritual and with allowing her to be Queen Bee.'

'Double-bagging ritual'

The couple attended multiple dances together, with Wallis dressed in stylish gowns and Edward in smart suits.

They were photographed during a party in New York in 1951. Wallis was pictured as she leant away from her husband, her face pointed outwards and chatted to a nearby couple. 

This is an example of a 'double-bagging ritual,' according to Ms James.

She added: 'She dances with him but chats to others as though signaling he's not quite enough company for her.' 

Edward was turned slightly more towards his wife but still looked outwards.

Dogs

The couple never had children together, but did have pet dogs.

There are multiple photographs of them holding their pugs together.

In one example from 1953, Wallis and Edward can be seen smiling animatedly while the former monarch holds the pup, called Trooper.

Ms James said: 'Interestingly some of Wallis’s most tactile, warm, smiling, affectionate body language behaviours are when she is holding her own dogs.'