Kate Middleton sent an uplifting message about her recovery with her hunter green Alexander McQueen coat and matching fascinator on Christmas Day—according to body language expert Judi James.

Specifically, her hat is what gave it away.

Yesterday Kate Middleton stepped out for the royal family’s annual walkabout for Christmas Day church service in Sandringham for the first time since her cancer diagnosis. For the occasion, the Princess of Wales wore a hunter green Alexander McQueen coat with black suede boots, a cozy tartan scarf, and a green hat that expertly matched her jacket and featured a festive bow detail on top. 

While Middleton’s outfit embodied the holiday spirit, it also sent a secret message about her cancer recovery—according to body language expert Judie James. “Kate’s outfit looked significant in terms of her recovery, not because of the earthy country green shade, which toned with the other top tier royals, creating a message of unity and team bonding, but because of her hat, which was a small green beret/fascinator,” James explained while speaking with Cosmopolitan. 

She added, “Kate arrived at church walking crowd-side and had she worn a wide-brimmed hat as she has in the past, there would have been an option of partly hiding her face if she felt vulnerable. A smaller hat like hers tends to signal strength and a more confident, upbeat approach, and that was reflected in her beaming smile as she passed the fans."

James also picked up on a sweet moment between Princess Kate and Prince William as they smiled at each other during the walkabout, noting that the "dimpling" in Kate's smile "suggests authentic joy and good humor." She continued, "As William looked across and saw it, his own smile seemed to widen, to match those of their very Christmas Day-excited children."

Indeed, Middleton appeared to be good spirits despite her challenging year—so much so that she lost track of time while speaking with royal fans who were waiting for her outside St. Mary Magdalene church. According to People, the princess jokingly quipped to a well-wisher, “I seem to have lost my family!” after William and their three children—Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6—were so far ahead of her down the path.