Prince Harry’s ‘Royal Status’ Was Nowhere to Be Seen at Singapore Polo Match, Body Language Expert Says
Prince Harry kept his “royal status” off the polo field on his Asia trip. According to a body language expert, the Duke of Sussex’s demeanor at a Singapore charity polo match indicated he’s now used to being “virtually ignored.”
Harry played in the Sentebale ISPS Handa Polo Cup after a Tokyo sports conference
Asia got a visit from Harry when the 38-year-old touched down in Tokyo, Japan, on Aug. 8, 2023. Harry traveled from his and Meghan Markle’s home in Montecito, California, for the International Sports Promotion Society’s Sports Values Summit.
Not only did Harry draw attention from crowds as he walked through the conference, but he also spoke on a panel about the connection between sports, community, and philanthropy. Following the summit, Harry traveled to Singapore for a polo match hosted by his own Sentebale charity.
On August 12, 2023, Harry played in the 2023 Sentebale ISPS Handa Polo Cup. The match, in which Harry faced off against his friend Ignacio “Nacho” Figueras, had him representing the Royal Salute Sentebale Team. As for Figueras, he captained the Singapore Polo Club Team.
The match, held at the Singapore Polo Club, ended in a tie with a score of 7-7.
Harry had an ‘awkward’ moment after the Singapore polo match
According to body language expert Judi James, after the polo match ended is when Harry’s body language became especially telling. As she told Mirror, Harry could be seen walking alone, seemingly a bit aimlessly, following the match.
Presumably not sure of what to do, per the outlet, it marked an “awkward” moment” for Harry, who she noted, typically has Meghan Markle’s “adoring gaze” to “bathe in.”
“Harry probably doesn’t have any body language for moments like this — when he is left alone, un-hosted and virtually ignored by the others at the event,” James said.
Then came the handing out of the trophies. Harry, the expert noted, held onto the trophy in a way that hinted he’d been “reluctant to share” with the rest of his teammates, a “trait Harry has had since childhood.”
“As a royal, he would have been guaranteed to be the centre [sic] of attention in a group setting,” James explained. Additionally, he would’ve also been “used to getting admiring smiles of polite flattery when he was out at events.”
However, now that’s not necessarily always the case whenever Harry attends an event. These days it “clearly isn’t a given now his royal status has gone,” James said.
Harry didn’t impress guests with his Nacho Figueras greeting at the Singapore polo match
James continued, saying treating Harry like anybody else, i.e., non-royalty, didn’t stop there. She also noticed some guests appeared to look unimpressed when Harry and Figueras exchanged a “hand slap shake.” Their hug, a symbol of their “friendship” and “machismo,” per James, didn’t warrant a glance from fellow guests, who continued to look at their phones.
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