Body Language Expert Analyzes Moment Meghan Markle Was ‘Scared’ by Sophie, Countess of Wessex
Meghan Markle’s reaction to Sophie, Countess of Wessex glancing at her during the 2020 Commonwealth Day service is revealing, according to one expert, who analyzed their body language.
Meghan Markle looked ‘scared’ of Sophie, Countess of Wessex at the service, expert says
A body language expert took a closer look at the awkward vibe at the 2020 Commonwealth Day service. Meghan Markle appeared to say “Hi” to Prince William and Kate Middleton and was ignored, but that wasn’t the only interesting moment.
In a video on his YouTube channel The Body Language Guy, expert Jesús Enrique Rosas explored the way Meghan appeared “scared” when Sophie, Countess of Wessex looked in Meghan’s direction and she looked down immediately.
“You might remember that time when Sophie scared the s**t out of Meghan with just one look,” Rosas said. “There is so much more that was said with their body language.”
“It was Commonwealth Day 2020 and the very last engagement of Harry and Meghan as royals,” he said.
Expert explores Sophie and Meghan Markle’s body language
The expert pointed out how Harry, Meghan, Prince Edward, and Sophie sat in the second row. William and Kate sat in the front row.
Rosas backed up the analysis a bit to the moment leading up to Meghan being on the receiving end of Sophie’s gaze. Edward, Harry, and Meghan were engaged in a conversation. Sophie looked in the other direction and appeared “less than impressed with the exchange.”
Rosas speculated, “by this point, there had been enough frictions inside the royal family” with Prince Harry and Meghan “that it was a bit difficult for Sophie to show empathy toward her.”
He noted that, since Sophie would be aware cameras were present, “her underlying emotions must have been really strong to have this attitude in public.”
The expert then looked at how the moment unfolded. “Notice what happens when Sophie finally turns around and establishes eye contact with Meghan,” he said. “She looks at her and doesn’t blink until Meghan evades her gaze, looking down and dissolving her own smile.”
Rosas continued, “The first and most important fact about this reaction is that Meghan knew that Sophie did not like her at all and that’s why she focused on chatting with Edward. If there had been any kind of empathy or willingness to interact, Meghan would have acknowledged Sophie’s gaze in any way.” For example, Rosas said, Meghan might have continued to smile or connected in another way when Sophie made eye contact.
In this case, he said, “Meghan looks away instantly. She was not expecting Sophie to turn around at that moment.”
Rosas shared how eye contact revealed quite a lot in that moment. “I’m absolutely sure that whatever inner emotion Sophie was feeling at that moment, Meghan got it in a split second,” he said.
Rosas examined another interaction at the service
Rosas also noted, “You can’t possibly jump to conclusions with any single body language clue” and need to look for other clues “that complement your first observations.”
He pointed to the interaction between the Sussexes and Wessexes as they left the church, believing they “were not in good standing” at the time.
William and Kate left the service and Meghan cut through the front row as Sophie and Edward exited the second row. Since there was a certain order, the Sussexes followed the Cambridges. “So the only reason left for this is that Meghan simply didn’t want to get anywhere near Sophie,” Rosas shared. “That’s a common attitude when you don’t like someone or are afraid of someone.”
Rosas clarified that Meghan wasn’t fearful of being harmed, of course. “There is another way of being afraid and it’s when you have to meet people, look them in the eyes, and face the consequences of your own actions, in person,” he said.
