Body Language Expert Says Meghan Markle’s Gesture at a 2022 Event Wasn’t ‘Anything Too Regal’
A body language expert analyzed Meghan Markle’s gestures and expressions during a 2022 event, noting how she performs in public. With a background in acting, it’s not surprising that Meghan displays a lot of confidence during public appearances.
Expert analyzes Meghan Markle’s body language at 2022 event
Body language expert Judi James looked at when Meghan gave a speech at the 2022 opening ceremony of the One Young World Summit. She told Daily Mail, “Meghan displayed extremely high levels of confidence, and we know she does because she’s an actress — she’s very good at smiling. What we call ‘smile and wave,’ you know, whatever happens, I’ll look as though everything is absolutely fine.”
James continued, “But she genuinely did give that impression and she also seemed to want to imply quite high levels of bonding with the country that she’s been attacking from the U.S.”
The expert noted, “Meghan Markle turned up to motivate her young audience. She arrived a little bit like a rockstar with Harry. They were the only guests that came down through the stairs.”
Meghan’s body language wasn’t “too regal,” according to the expert. “And she was doing what are called ‘baby waves’ to the crowd,” James pointed out. “That’s a kind of modest, bonding wave rather than anything too regal.”
The expert added, “But her elegance and the way that she was dressed in this very stand-out, strong, red outfit, definitely underlined the idea of ‘the Duchess had arrived.’”
Prince Harry displayed ‘signals of anxiety,’ expert says
By contrast, Prince Harry showed “many, many signals of anxiety,” James said. “A lot them actually that he’s picked up from his father, strangely enough.”
James noted “the cuff fiddle,” adding, “At one point, he didn’t just do a truncated gesture, which he’d been doing recently, which is where he touches his jacket. He literally folded one side over the other, which was a very odd ritual and implied it was like a smaller version of folding your arms so he felt slightly defenseless, very vulnerable.”
She continued, “But with that anxiety of doing what are called self-comfort rituals, he was touching his clothing throughout. He was touching his tie. He was straightening the jacket, he was touching his shirt. And he hiked his trousers up at one point.”
James added, “And those rituals — the money that that level will pay on their clothing, they don’t need to keep moving it. He did not seem to be within his comfort zone coming back to the UK.”
Harry ‘responded awkwardly’ during Meghan’s speech, according to expert
James also looked at Harry’s body language during Meghan’s speech.
She told The Sun that Harry “responded awkwardly” when Meghan mentioned him. “Meghan name-checked him lovingly during her speech and he responded awkwardly, looking down and then upward with what looked like a sigh,” James said.
The body language expert also noted how Harry “was riddled with signals of anxiety and awkwardness.”
Showbiz Cheat Sheet acknowledges conditions and cultures can impact body language and is sensitive to all backgrounds.
