Body Language Expert Says Prince Harry Was ‘Embarrassed’ About Bizarre Meghan Markle Moment in Netflix Docuseries
Prince Harry appeared embarrassed during one moment in the Harry & Meghan Netflix documentary, a body language expert says. While discussing the royal protocol of performing a curtsy when greeting the queen, Meghan Markle shared an over-the-top recreation that left Harry looking uncomfortable.
Meghan Markle shared her experience meeting the queen
During the documentary, Prince Harry and Meghan explained what it was like when Meghan met the queen for the first time. Meghan found the formality of performing a curtsy a surprising bit of royal protocol.
“She had no idea what it all consisted of,” Prince Harry explained. “So it was a bit of a shock to the system for her.”
Meghan said, “I mean, it’s surreal. There wasn’t like some big moment of ‘And now you’re gonna meet my grandmother.’ I didn’t know I was going to meet her until moments before. We were in the car and we were going to Royal Lodge for lunch, and he’s like, ‘Oh, my grandmother is here, she’s gonna be there after church.’”
She continued, “I remember we were in the car, driving up and he’s like, ‘You know how to curtsy, right?’ And I just thought it was a joke.”
Harry admitted that the protocol is difficult to explain. “How do you explain that to people? How do you explain that you bow to your grandmother?” he shared. “And that you will need to curtsy — especially to an American. That’s weird.”
Meghan Markle demonstrated the curtsy by dramatically bowing
Meghan compared the bow to something you’d see at a medieval-themed restaurant. “Now I’m starting to realize this is a big deal,” she said. “I mean, Americans will understand this. We have Medieval Times dinner and tournament. It was like that.”
Then she recreated the curtsy rather dramatically and Harry appeared uncomfortable. “Like, I curtsied as though I was like [motions the curtsy] ‘Pleasure to meet you, your Majesty,’” she said.
Meghan added, “It was so intense. And then when she left, Eugenie and Jack and Fergie say ‘You did great!’ Thanks. I didn’t know what I was doing.”
Body language expert says the Meghan Markle moment embarrassed Prince Harry
During an appearance on The Morning Show, body language expert Louise Mahler unpacked the moment when Meghan recalled her curtsy for the queen.
Host Sally Bowrey noted, “It was Harry that I was actually watching in this moment. He looked incredibly, I don’t know, uncomfortable. There was something — see how he’s sort of watching her and look, he looks off to the side … I don’t know, there was something really awkward about the way he looked at her in this story.”
Mahler agreed, pointing out, “And then he looks down. I would adore him to do more of those looks. He’s not a theatre person. And I know, as a theatre person, you’re always doing something theatrical and people are going, ‘Oh no, please don’t do that.’”
She continued, “And he isn’t like that himself. The whole story about the curtsy was disrespectful.”
Mahler noted, “If you went to a different country with a different culture — say Japan — and they said you had to bow you would not make fun of that bow. You would see it as a creative opportunity. You wouldn’t suddenly talk about, ‘Oh in medieval times…’”
The body language expert added, “I think he was definitely embarrassed in that moment — and one of the few moments he was embarrassed. And I think he should be embarrassed a lot more.”
Showbiz Cheat Sheet acknowledges conditions and cultures can impact body language and is sensitive to all backgrounds.
