Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Body Language Is ‘at Odds’ During ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ Jamaica Premiere, Expert Says
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s first joint red carpet appearance of 2024 is in the books. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended the Jamaica premiere of Bob Marley: One Love. Like many of their public appearances — OK, maybe all — body language experts have since dissected Harry and Meghan’s movements. Ahead, what one had to say about “rigid” Harry and “self-assured” Meghan.
Harry and Meghan’s movements were ‘at odds’ despite ‘affection and togetherness’ at ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ premiere
On Jan. 23, 2024, Harry and Meghan attended the premiere of Bob Marley: One Love in Kingston, Jamaica, ahead of the biopic’s U.S. release on Feb. 14, 2024. Speaking to The Sun, body language expert Judi James noted that while the pair engaged in some of their typical PDA, or public displays of affection, they weren’t necessarily entirely in sync.
“Meghan and Harry’s tactile, red carpet display of affection and togetherness here does seem to show Meghan at her confident, elegant best,” James told the outlet. Meanwhile, Harry revealed “some cues or tells beside her that give him a rather more awkward look.”
“His open-neck shirt” paired with “informal” body language appeared “at odds” with Meghan’s “pitch-perfect, focused, Hollywood celebrity approach.”
“Her wide symmetric smile with a rounding of her cheeks looks totally assured and camera-friendly,” James said. “The gleam of excitement in her eyes is an intentional gesture showing her hosts and her fans she is delighted to be there.”
Harry appeared to need ‘silent reassurance’ from ‘gracious’ Meghan on the red carpet in Jamaica
Meghan and Harry held hands in a show of “mutual affection,” however the duke, according to James, seemed to “try to pull” his wife’s hand in toward his leg “as though needing some form of silent reassurance.”
Additionally, Harry’s “mouth smile” appeared “rigid,” along with his arms. Additionally, Harry touched his forehead, which can hint at “anxiety.”
Entering the theater amid cheers didn’t seem to ease Harry’s apparent anxiety. As he and Meghan walked inside, Harry appeared tense “as though worried they won’t both fit through the gap.”
As for Meghan, she appeared “gracious and charming and pure self-assured Hollywood red carpet glamour.
Meghan’s ‘he’s mine’ gesture at the ‘Bob Marley: One Love’ premiere in Jamaica
James continued, examining Harry and Meghan’s poses on the red carpet. “As they pose for the cameras, Harry stands with one arm around her waist and a good-humoured [sic] smile on his face.”
However, that wasn’t the case with Meghan. The 42-year-old used what the expert described as “purring rituals” where she stood “with her torso facing and pressed into Harry’s side and with one flattened hand placed on his waist with the fingers pointing upward.”
“Her eyes throw a look over her shoulder at the cameras, and with their soft eye-smile and the hand of loving ownership, the message seems to be ‘He’s mine,’” James said.
She also pointed out the return of a familiar move from Meghan. Particularly one of her go-to “steering gestures” with Harry, where she places a hand on his back to gently guide him.
By “placing a hand on his back to usher him forward to greet someone she has first greeted warmly herself,” Meghan, the body language expert said, appeared “to put herself in charge.”
After all, Meghan did star in more than 100 episodes of the legal drama Suits before transitioning away from acting as her relationship with Harry became more serious.
Showbiz Cheat Sheet acknowledges conditions and cultures can impact body language and is sensitive to all backgrounds.
