Prince Harry appeared ‘very protective’ of Meghan Markle during their first engagement back in the UK, with his reassuring gestures suggesting he wanted to make sure his wife felt comfortable and supported, a body language expert has claimed.
Analysing the couple’s interactions, Darren Stanton says Harry’s tight hand-holding and tendency to glance back at Meghan showed he was keen to ensure she was settled before giving her the space to engage with the public independently.
Speaking to Betfair Casino, Stanton said: “Harry seems very protective of Meghan here. When they get to the vehicle, we see him holding her hand quite tightly and putting his arm around her.
“From a body language perspective, these are clear reassuring gestures, suggesting that he wants to make sure she feels comfortable and supported.
A little apprehensive
“Obviously, it’s their first engagement back, so anyone can feel a little apprehensive in that situation, but Meghan actually seems totally confident.
“It’s clear that Harry absolutely dotes on her. He is besotted with her in the best possible sense, and you can see that he wants to make sure she’s okay and feels at ease.
“What’s interesting is that Harry appears to stay close and protective until he’s comfortable enough to move forward and engage with the crowd himself.
“Even then, I noticed him glancing back every now and again to check that Meghan is okay.
“It’s almost as though he’s making sure she’s settled before giving her the space to interact with the public independently.
Working the crowd
“Once they separate, Meghan is very good at working the crowd. She’s confident, engaging and seems to know exactly how to build rapport with people.
“One thing I particularly noticed was the way she bends forward to meet people’s eye line.
“By lowering herself slightly, she makes the interaction feel more personal and approachable.
“It creates a greater sense of connection because she’s meeting people on their level rather than looking down at them.
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Similar style
“These are traits we’ve seen from Catherine, and I think Meghan has adopted a similar style of interacting with the public.
“It’s something I haven’t really noticed her doing in the past, so it feels like a relatively new approach.
“Bending down to meet someone’s eye line is a really effective way of establishing rapport and making people feel comfortable in her presence.
“It’s a subtle but important piece of body language, and she’s doing it very naturally.
Genuine expressions
“Her facial expressions are also really telling. The smiles appear genuine, rather than the socially polite or slightly forced smiles.
“Her whole face is engaged, and her feet remain close together, which adds to the impression that she’s comfortable and focused on the people she’s speaking to.
“Overall, Meghan comes across as confident and capable, while Harry’s body language suggests he’s looking out for her and making sure she’s settled.
“Once he’s reassured that she’s doing well, he’s happy to give her the space to shine, although those occasional glances back show that he’s still keeping a protective eye on her.”
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