Prince Harry appeared to be relegated to the role of “spare” during his appearance with Meghan Markle at the TIME100 Summit in New York, a body language expert claimed.
The expert, Judi James, noted a painfully awkward moment when the Duchess of Sussex appeared to ignore her husband’s gestures of affection.
As the couple arrived at the event on Wednesday, Harry extended his hand to his wife, but Meghan appeared not to notice, instead hugging others without giving him a spare glance.
The Duke was left standing awkwardly with his hands in his pockets.
Meghan Markle ‘steals spotlight’ as Prince Harry ‘ignored’ in NYC: ‘That was cold’
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Moments later, the mother-of-two was so busy waving to crowds as she entered the building that when Harry reached out to her once more, he was again left trailing behind.
Royal fans quickly commented on the interaction, with one saying: “She didn’t even acknowledge her husband?! He extended his arm to her as she exited the car, but she hugged someone else and walked away.”
Others remarked: “She completely ignores him!” and “Ouch. That was cold.”
James told the Mail that Harry appeared to be in the role of “spare,” displaying “awkward-looking body language poses while a more assured Meghan took the starring role.”
Meghan Markle hugging someone in front of Prince Harry
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She noted that Meghan used a “celebrity wilt” gesture with her hands dangling from bent wrists.
“This was a gesture that suggested a form of specialness,” James explained.
“It’s also called the ‘broken wing’ gesture, and although it suggested physical weakness or vulnerability, it reflected status power.”
Following Meghan’s appearance, the couple were spotted leaving via a side door, flanked by security.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle face major backlash after using ‘four-car motorcade’ securityGetty“Harry was towing his wife alone in a classic celebrity pose,” James observed.
She noted his “frog’s legs” position created “an air of awkwardness” as he turned to look back.
“His body language looked slightly off-script as it was Meghan having to eye-check his face while holding out her hand to re-establish the romantic gesture of the hand clasp,” James concluded.
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Meghan Markle speaking at the TIME100 SummitGettyThe expert suggested that this directing of camera attention made Meghan “look like the star arrival.”
Despite James’s claims, Prince Harry sat in the audience as a supportive husband while his wife spoke at the summit.
Meghan said she was the “happiest” she had ever been, and credited her husband and children as the key reasons for her contentment.
