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A body language expert said he received the same question from many followers regarding a gesture they caught during the royal walkabout at Windsor Castle following Queen Elizabeth’s death. They wondered, was Prince Harry holding Meghan Markle back?

What moment made some spectators wonder if the Duke of Sussex was trying to keep his duchess in place around Prince William and Kate Middleton? And what did one prominent analyst have to say about it? Read on to find out.

(L-R) Kate Middleton, Prince William, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle on September 10, 2022, in Windsor, England. Some observers wondered if Harry was holding Meghan back at one point that day.
(L-R) Kate Middleton, Prince William, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle | Chris Jackson/WPA Pool/Getty Images

Prince Harry was holding onto Meghan Markle during the Windsor walkabout with Prince William and Kate Middleton

When Harry and Meghan joined William and Kate for a walkabout outside Windsor Castle after Queen Elizabeth’s death, the much-talked-about reunion reportedly happened with little notice.

At one point, as the four looked at the tributes to the late queen, Harry walked behind Meghan and rested his hand on her back. Even as he moved away, he kept his hand in place for a long moment.

Some observers interpreted that gesture as him holding Meghan back or signaling to her not to move forward. It wasn’t that they thought the Duchess of Sussex might pick a fight with the Prince and Princess of Wales if she got too close. But some seemed convinced she might unknowingly break protocol and get ahead of them if Harry wasn’t there to hold onto her.

But what did a body language expert say about that conclusion?

Spidey analyzed whether Prince Harry was holding Meghan Markle back

Body language analyst Spidey responded to followers of The Behavioral Arts on YouTube who asked him to take a closer look at the moment between the Sussexes. Some were convinced Harry held Meghan to keep her from getting too far ahead of William and Kate.

Spidey noted a “really slow breakaway” as Harry moved from Meghan’s right side to her left and reached out for her as he passed. He held his touch on her arm “instead of quickly breaking away,” and “even as he was splitting, his arm was really extended” to hold his connection to her.

But according to Spidey, Harry wasn’t keeping Meghan in place. He felt it indicated an “exchange of comfort” within the couple. “Either she’s comforting him, or he’s comforting her,” he offered.

Spidey didn’t think their body language was consistent with indications of restraint. First, he noted that Harry wasn’t “gripping” Meghan but seemed to be offering her a “very delicate caress.”

Next, he pointed out how Harry’s gaze focused on the tributes, not where William and Kate were. “Most importantly for me,” Spidey said, “is the fact that he moved out of her way.”

Meghan Markle seemed uncomfortable during Windsor walkabout, body language expert says

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To add to Spidey’s theory that Harry and Meghan were exchanging comfort, consider that body language expert Judi James told The Sun she saw signs that they both felt out of place during the walkabout at Windsor Castle.

And James spotted several indications that Meghan felt more awkward than anyone, whereas Kate pulled off her usual confidence. For example, Meghan was clasping her hands tightly in front of her and displaying “hair-flicking rituals,” while Kate seemed self-assured and more in her element.

Meghan wasn’t the only one who came off as uncomfortable to some, though. Harry had just lost his grandmother, and James noticed that Meghan comforted him in affectionate ways. “It was her thumb rubbing Harry’s in the clasp to show the need for support had shifted from her to him,” the analyst pointed out.

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