Body Language Expert Points Out Sophie’s ‘Grim-Faced’ Expression and Looking ‘Dour’ When Prince Harry Married Meghan Markle
In his memoir Spare, Prince Harry discussed Prince William’s wedding to Kate Middleton as well as his own wedding to Meghan Markle.
And when the royal weddings were thrust back into the headlines, a body language expert analyzed photos from the day Harry married Meghan and was surprised by Prince Edward’s wife Sophie (formerly the Countess of Wessex)’s expression during the ceremony. Here’s more on that and what else the expert observed when the royals gathered at St. George’s Chapel that day.
The type of relationship Sophie and Meghan had remains a mystery
While Meghan’s relationships with some royal family members have been discussed at length, one that isn’t talked about much in the press and wasn’t documented in Harry’s memoir is her relationship with Sophie.
In Gyles Brandreth’s book Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, he said that the late queen suggested Sophie act as a mentor to Meghan early on and show her the royal ropes. However, the author claimed that the Duchess of Sussex rejected that offer writing: “Meghan made it clear that she did not feel she needed Sophie’s help. She had Harry.”
It’s not known if the women ever bonded after that.
Sophie’s expression and body language inside the church when Harry married Meghan
Body language expert Judi James analyzed the expressions of Sophie, as well as Princess Anne, and the now-Queen Camilla (formerly Camilla Parker Bowles) when Harry and Meghan said “I do.”
James told Express: “In the group shot it is Camilla and Sophie who look a little dour, with the normally sparking Sophie sitting hunched and grim-faced in the pew behind Camilla, close to a rather haughty-looking Princess Anne.”
It was Sophie’s demeanor that James found the most shocking though since the Duchess of Edinburgh is “normally very bubbly, but [looked] grim-faced during many viral moments of the wedding.”
Body language of other royals inside the chapel that day
James also discussed the body language of other royals inside that chapel that day as well who did not look glum.
She pointed out that “Charles looked every inch the happy dad,” and Harry’s cousin Princess Beatrice appeared “upbeat and playful.”
James added that Prince William displayed some “grins and signals of what looked like the normal shared humor and fun with his brother.” However, she did see a shift in the way the two men acted at the now-Prince of Wales’ wedding seven years earlier noting: “Their body language did lack some of the energy and fun from William’s wedding.”
Showbiz Cheat Sheet acknowledges conditions and cultures can impact body language and is sensitive to all backgrounds.
