Body Language Expert Observes Meghan Markle and Sophie Wessex ‘Unhappy to Be in Each Other’s Company’ During This Event
We haven’t seen a ton of photos and video footage of Meghan Markle and Sophie Wessex together over the years. But according to experts, many of the ones we have seen show a lot about the relationship between the woman Prince Harry married and the woman his uncle Prince Edward married.
That’s the case with the snaps taken and video shot of the duchess and countess on the day of the Sussexes’ final royal engagement on March 9, 2020. A body language expert is pointing out just how “unhappy” the ladies looked to be in the company of each other that day.
Body language expert noticed ‘signs of animosity’ between Meghan and Sophie
Celebrity psychic and body language expert Inbaal Honigman spoke to Express after analyzing photos and clips of the Countess of Wessex and the Duchess of Sussex seated in the same row during a service at Westminster Abbey.
“The interactions, or lack thereof, between Meghan Markle and Sophie Wessex at the Commonwealth Day service 2020 are eye-catching, in their absolute failure of subtlety,” Honigman said.
She noted: “In this case, however, the signs of animosity are not hidden … [Kate and Meghan] are sitting in a very elegant way, in their allocated seats, behaving properly. Their postures are a little stiff, but not overly so … And then we have Sophie’s body language; lips pressed, back stiff, this is a lady who would rather be anywhere else. She is clearly uncomfortable.
“When her face is neutral and unengaged, she flicks her eyes upwards and to the right — she’s trying to cheer herself up and finding something to be pleased about — only to turn her face back to the rest of her sitting party … and meet Meghan’s eyes. Meghan has been looking at her intently for a few seconds by then, but when their eyes meet, they both look away so swiftly, that it can’t be by chance.”
In the expert’s opinion: “They are unhappy to be at each other’s company, and the automatic jerking of their faces away from each other, shows that they don’t even care if people realize that something is up.”
Royal fans labeled Sophie’s look the ‘death stare’
The blink-and-you-missed-it interaction between Sophie and Meghan was discussed by royal fans on social media at the time. More recently, some compared the look Sophie gave Meghan to the “death stare” the Princess of Wales gave the duchess during a walkabout days before Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.
“Love it! It’s right up there with when Catherine death stared M at the walkabout after the queen died,” one user wrote.
Another said: “Ranks up with the one [of] the car leaving the walkabout at Windsor when Kate nearly melted M with her F off stare!”
Other royal fans opined that Meghan was looking at the camera and smiling when Sophie caught her and shot her a look.
“Best is Sophie catching MM posing for the cameras during the church service,” a third user commented.
While another posted: “That was such a great moment of Sophie catching Markle finding the camera for the 476th time.”
Showbiz Cheat Sheet acknowledges conditions and cultures can impact body language and is sensitive to all backgrounds.
