What Charles III teaches us about enjoying a speech

There was a particular moment that stayed with me, watching this address, where I thought ah, he looks like he’s having a good time.

Not in a forced, over-rehearsed, energetic keynote-speaker way, but in a genuinely human, slightly amused, “I know exactly what I’m doing here” way. The pauses really land. The phrasing is considered. There’s a flicker of throughout the professionalism. And perhaps most importantly, he doesn’t rush.

For something being described (not unreasonably) as a “masterclass,” it’s worth separating two things: what we can observe as fact in the delivery that made it so good, and what research in communication and psychology tells us about why those things work.

Ultimately it wasn’t just a good speech. It was a very well-delivered one.

First, the obvious, but often ignored: he looks like he wants to be there. This sounds trivial, but it really isn’t, we often see speakers over the top enthusiastic or absolutely hating having to deliver speeches, this hit the middle ground in the best way.

One of the most consistently supported findings in communication research is that audiences are highly sensitive to speaker affect, in simple terms this is whether the speaker appears engaged, interested, and emotionally congruent with what they’re saying.

Studies in social and organisational psychology show that emotional contagion (the transfer of mood from speaker to audience) plays a measurable role in how messages are received. When a speaker appears at ease and quietly enthusiastic, on the side of the audience, they are rated as more credible and more persuasive.

Charles III doesn’t just deliver the speech, he seems to enjoy the act of delivering it. There’s a lightness in the eyes, a willingness to let moments land, even a sense that he’s slightly entertained by the room.

Practical takeaway: Before you endlessly refine your slides or your script, ask a basic question:

“Do I look like I want to be here?”

If the answer is no, that’s the first thing to fix, not your content. Filming yourself to figure this out is a fantastic way to do this too, as even if mentally you think you’re fully engaged your body language may be saying something entirely different.

Next let’s talk about the pauses.

There’s strong evidence that strategic pausing improves both comprehension and perceived authority. Pauses give audiences time to process, but they also signal confidence, because only confident speakers are willing to leave silence hanging rather than it being a panic pause.

In this address, the pauses are:

• deliberate, not hesitant

• placed after meaningful phrases, not randomly (although he does adapt on the fly)

• long enough to feel intentional, but not theatrical

  
  

Importantly, they’re not used to fill space. They’re used to let the messages land and honestly the speech was already well written, but this really helped it deliver.

Less experienced speakers often fear silence and rush to fill it, the get it done approach. What happens here is the opposite: silence becomes part of the message and part of the delivery.

Practical takeaway :Try this in your next talk:

• After a key sentence, pause for one full breath

• Don’t move, don’t look down, don’t apologise for it

It will feel too long to you. It will feel right to your audience.

The tone is conversational, but never casual, there’s a subtle distinction in this speech that’s easy to miss. It feels personal, even warm, but it never slips into informality that undermines the occasion, there is a great balance between relatability and authority.

What he does particularly well:

• Uses phrasing that feels spoken, not written

• Allows small moments of “light, inoffensive” humour without breaking tone

• Maintains a clear sense of occasion throughout

  
  

Practical takeaway: When preparing a speech, read it aloud and develop it that way rather than writing it all then editing, consider:

“Would I ever say this sentence in real life?”

If not, rewrite it. Spoken language and written language are not the same thing and audiences can tell instantly.

Next up, eye expression and micro-behaviours. A lot of public speaking advice focuses on gestures, what to do with your hands, where to stand, how to move.

What’s useful to point out here is how little he needs to do physically.

Instead of direct large gestures, the engagement comes from:

• eye expression (that “twinkle” people keep noticing) a light “smile with the eyes” as Tyra Banks would say.

• slight shifts in facial tone

• stillness when making key points

  
  

Research in nonverbal communication consistently shows that facial expression and eye engagement carry more emotional information than large physical gestures.

Practical takeaway:Instead of thinking, “What should I do with my hands?”

Go for connection with the audience, in a relaxed way, think:

“Am I actually connecting with the room, or just delivering at them?”

The speech is clearly well written, but written for speech. Going over this point again, but good delivery can’t rescue poor structure.

What stands out here is that the speech:

• flows naturally when spoken

• builds ideas progressively rather than dumping information or leading with key things to say – there is a story flow to it

• includes moments of lightness that break intensity

  
  

This aligns with classic rhetorical structure, clear progression, variation in tone, and rhythm. From a research perspective, well-structured speeches improve retention and recall, particularly when ideas are grouped and paced rather than densely packed.

Practical takeaway :If your speech feels dense on the page, it will feel overwhelming in the room.

Cut more than you think you need to. Then cut again. You probably don’t need to say absolutely everything, work out your key takeaway and go from there.

Stop over-performing if you’re doing that, we’re not all Tony Robbins. Perhaps the most instructive element of the address is what isn’t there.

There’s no overemphasis. No exaggerated delivery. No attempt to “sell” every line.

And that restraint feels authentic, audiences respond more positively to speakers who appear grounded and self-assured, rather than overly polished or performative. He doesn’t try to impress the room. He assumes the room is already listening.

That’s a very different posture, and a much more effective one than trying too hard.

Practical takeaway:If you feel the need to “add energy,” pause and check:

“Am I compensating for nerves, or enhancing the message?”

Often, less really is more.

Ultimately the checklist is pretty straightforward, understand the moment, write your speech as if it is speech, enjoy the delivery, enjoy yourself. Not everyone has the platform, the experience, or the lifetime of training that Charles III brings to public speaking but the underlying principles are not exclusive:

• slow down

• trust silence

• speak like a human

• mean what you’re saying

And perhaps most importantly:

let it look like you’re enjoying yourself, even just a little.

Learn more about what we do at JAM, info@jamgroupmedia.com