Body Language Expert Points Out the Meghan Markle ‘Signature Pose’ That ‘Directs Attention to Her Face’
Meghan Markle has one telling body language gesture that appears to draw more attention to her, one expert believes. She is often seen touching her hair or moving her hand toward an earring, which the expert points out is different than a blocking or self-soothing gesture.
Meghan Markle is often seen touching her hair or near her face
Body language expert Judi James examined the way Meghan often either touches her hair or puts a hand near her face and ears. James told Express that gestures like this can be a way to create a “barrier” — but she doesn’t feel like that’s the case with Meghan.
“Meghan will often be seen touching her hair in public,” James noted. “But this earring touch is much more of a signature gesture which, with no real practical use, is more likely to suggest an emotional or spontaneous, habit response to the cameras.”
James continued, “The hand rarely even meets the earrings, making it both a truncated gesture. One purpose then is to act as a truncated barrier in public, something that might make her feel a little more comfortable that just standing with her arms to her side.”
The expert called this move “a distant relative of folded arms or legs” and pointed to the way Prince Harry’s body language often will create a “body barrier.”
James explained, “Most of the royals, including Harry, have body language traits that suggest a desire to create some form of body barrier in public and they are all truncated gestures.”
She continued, “Harry pretends to be buttoning his jacket and Charles will mime the act of checking his cufflinks or watch.”
Expert looks closely at Meghan Markle’s body language
James looked at the way the Duchess of Sussex touches her hair or brings her hand near her face and ruled out “self-comfort rituals” in Meghan’s body language.
The expert explained, “Fiddling or touch gestures are usually self-comfort rituals, suggesting inner anxiety, but as Meghan’s fingers rarely reach her ear or earring she doesn’t seem to be doing this for reassurance.”
According to James, there would need to be touch involved to be a self-comfort gesture. “When we self-comfort the calming rituals usually involve actual touch, like Camilla’s finger-fiddling or William’s fig-leaf clasped hands,” she said.
Expert says Meghan is likely drawing attention to herself
James went on to explain “other stronger potential reasons for this gesture” and looked at how the former actor appears to want to direct attention to herself.
“Apart for being a partial barrier ritual it also directs attention to her face, which could make it a self-flattering ritual, too,” James shared.
The expert continued, “Meghan’s photo shoots as an actress and beauty will have involved posing with a hand to the face to add some movement to a head shot. It breaks up a pose as well as pointing attention to the face, making this a professional signature pose that she might adopt naturally when there are cameras around.”
James added, “Meghan’s high levels of confidence when she is appearing in public tend to make this a more likely reason for the gesture than the creating of any ‘security barrier.’”
