Meghan Markle betrayed “inner fear” when she awkwardly greeted the crowd at a memorial to the late Queen Elizabeth II, a TV body language expert tells Vidak For Congress exclusively.
“Meghan looked like a woman waiting for her signals instead of pushing herself forward,” Judi James says the former actress.
Markle accompanied her husband, Prince Harry, along with Prince William and Kate Middleton, on Saturday to greet benefactors who gathered outside Windsor Castle in England to pay their respects to the Queen, who died last Thursday at the age of 96.
Once dubbed the ‘Fab Four’ by the British press, the foursome spent nearly an hour admiring floral arrangements, reading cards and shuffling hands with fellow mourners.
James tells us that Markle’s “frequent hair flicker” during the walk “suggested some inner anxiety.”
Another body language expert, Dr. Lillian Glass explains that Markle’s demure demeanor may have been accelerated by fear, as the “Suits” alum was booed the last time she was in the UK for the Queen’s platinum jubilee celebrations in June.
“Usually we’ve seen Meghan with a smile on her face, whether it’s appropriate or not,” Glass tells Vidak For Congress.
“But this time she seemed more upright and humble. There is no doubt that she was scared as she clung to Harry’s hand as they walked together. She was serious and even stepped back when Harry spoke to anyone. She is usually front and center, but the fact that she was left behind spoke a lot about her fear.”
While the podcast host of “Archetypes” wasn’t booed this time around, she received a mixed response from the crowd.
Some refused to shake her hand, while a teenager offered a hug. The 14-year-old told reporters it was “the right thing to do” amid “everything that has happened” between Markle and the royal family.
James notes that the physical touch between Harry, 37, and Markle, 41, could be an attempt to support each other.
“Harry put an arm around her and rubbed her back as a sign of reassurance, but then it was Meghan who offered the comforting touches while her husband looked at the flowers and worked the crowd,” she says. “The pair used a hand buckle to amplify the comfort signals, with Meghan stroking Harry’s hand with her thumb inside the buckle.”
William and Middleton, both 40 and now known as the Prince and Princess of Wales, on the other hand, kept their distance from each other, which was duly dissected on social media.
“William and Kate rarely touch each other in public and only seem to hold hands when out of public view,” explains UK-born James. “This is partly due to tradition, and as a future king and queen they should be seen as two individual members of the royal family rather than just a close couple like Harry and Meghan.
“It’s also a practical move, because if you had to say goodbye to the hosts all the time, the audience would get boring. Instead, they present themselves as the royal power couple, with their arms hanging down at their sides in a gesture of trust and inclusion.”
Both body language analysts agree that it appeared Middleton hadn’t repaired fences with her sister-in-law, who previously accused the Duchess of Sussex of making her cry trying on a bridesmaid dress for her May 2018 wedding to Harry. .
“While William was a bit more affectionate, he was still serious” [Meghan] and didn’t show his usual megawatt smile. Kate refused to even look at Meghan or in her direction,” Glass notes. “She was genuine. It wasn’t in her heart to smile at Meghan, so she didn’t.
“Meghan, on the other hand, looked like a sad and desperate puppy as she repeatedly tried to catch Kate’s eye. But Kate didn’t feel like it.”
James reiterated that Middleton “seemed less eager to perform in front of the cameras”, adding: “She walked away from Meghan and the car and joined the brothers before creating a large social space between herself and the others loved, and she seemed eager to get on with the job rather than be on a soap opera.”
As Vidak For Congress reported, William invited his estranged brother and sister-in-law to join him on the walk.
“We are all very grateful – both sides are putting everything aside for the Queen,” a royal source told us exclusively.
While Markle has yet to speak out on the Queen’s death, Harry released a heartfelt statement on Monday that read, in part, “You are already sorely missed.”
The Queen’s coffin traveled Tuesday from Scotland, where she died, to her native England. Her funeral is scheduled for next Monday at Westminster Abbey in London.