Prince Harry & Meghan Markle ‘want to be seen as united couple’ before Netflix doc at gala, says body language expert
PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle wish to be seen as a united couple while strutting the red carpet at a lavish New York gala, a body language expert has said.
The Duchess of Sussex, 41, and Harry, 37, stunned the crowd with their touchy love before accepting the Ripple of Hope award for their stance against “structural racism” in the Royal Family.
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Speaking exclusively to the U.S. Sun, body language expert Patti Wood immediately noticed how close the couple appears while waltzing onto the carpet.
After reading their nonverbal communication for many years, Wood said she’s gotten familiar with their “mutual touch” – the moments when one couple reciprocates the touch of the other by grabbing their hand or touching the back or waist.
“That is their norm,” Wood told the U.S. Sun.
“It’s sort of important to know that because we’re seeing that norm even up a notch.”
Markle waltzed through the photo op in a strapless white gown while Harry donned a simple blue suit at the Robert F Kennedy Human Rights event where tables sold for upwards of $1million.
They appeared from behind a curtain clutching each other’s hands in an interlaced handhold “which shows a desire to kind of mesh and be seen as joint,” Wood said.
According to the body language expert, this is very rare for a red carpet event, as normally famous couples will break away during the various poses in front of the cameras.
“They might as they go to post handhold, but to keep it continuous tells me that they rely on each other and they want to be seen as a united couple,” Wood said.
MEGHAN’S GOWN
Meghan wore an off-the-shoulder white gown, complete with thigh-high slit, after the Princess of Wales wore a near identical design at the Earthshot gala in Boston.
The dress was paired with a black clutch and long gold earrings, while her hair was slicked back into a low bun.
Wood says her choice of gown says a lot about what she wished to portray to the audience, and even compared it to a “nun’s habit.”
“White typically is innocence,” she said.
“It’s a beautiful choice, but an interesting choice of ‘I wanna be innocent, show a little skin, but not be too exposed.
“It’s an interesting, wise choice I would say.
The two immediately flashed their close knit relationship after Prince Harry covered his wife with an umbrella while she got out of a car in the rain.
She made her appearance in front of photographers wearing a large blue ring, which appeared to be an emerald-cut aquamarine once owned by Princess Diana.
NERVOUS HARRY
Wood noticed that Harry had a few nervous ticks while in front of the camera’s, especially when he lost a grip on his wife.
After letting go of Markle, he moves to adjust his jacket and place a hand on his stomach, which is “very characteristic of him when he’s nervous or anxious,” according to Wood.
“It’s a self comfort cue, but it lets us know he’s a little bit nervous.
“And it’s interesting to me that he does that self comfort cure whne he absolutely has to drop the hand hold.”
Meanwhile, Wood said the beaming actress doesn’t budge an inch while smiling for the cameras – a skill she earned from working on films.
“She has a very large smile, but it’s maintained,” she said.
“In other words, a normal smile would wave across the face, but her stays on.
“But she’s got a lot of grace about her. There’s been times in the past where I’ve seen anxiety, and I don’t see that.
“It’s just a grace and an awareness.”
Megan and Harry refused to answer questions from assembled journalists as they posed for photos with Kerry Kennedy, John F. Kennedy’s niece.
Earlier the eco-warrior couple arrived in New York after flying in by private jet from their California home.
The award honors “exemplary leaders” who have demonstrated “an unwavering commitment” to social change.
The star studded event was attended by celebrities including Hollywood actor Alec Baldwin.
DOCUMENTARY CHATTER
It comes after Hours earlier they were mocked over inaccuracies in a trailer for their Netflix docu-series in which Meghan is seen to break down in tears.
Ahead of them accepting the award, the couple wheeled out a supporter to claim they had suffered “hatred” and racism.
US businessman Christopher Bouzy, 47, was a little-known tech guru before turning his sights on the royal family last year.
But yesterday he was given a starring role in the streaming giant’s second “official teaser” video.
And in a dramatic intervention, Bouzy told viewers: “It’s about hatred. It’s about race.”
His claims were screened moments after the couple’s lawyer, Jenny Afia, insisted there was “a war against Meghan to suit other people’s agendas”.
The latest salvo against the Royals is likely to fuel demands for Megahan and Harry to be stripped of their Royal titles.
The King and Queen will both be out this week at pre-arranged engagements and vowed not to be distracted from the job, it is understood.
Insiders say the Royals are finding the Netflix row “wearying” coming so soon after the death of Queen Elizabeth II and the King taking on a new role.
