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So there’s a teeny tiny detail we’ve all been missing from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s public appearances and we promise to be better royal perves from here on out.
It’s a detail that harks back to Meghan’s acting days (which seem so long ago), and it has a very interesting reason behind it.
The Duchess of Sussex is often seen placing her hand in the small of Harry’s back, appearing to gently nudge him forward.
Why?
To ensure he is the one in the spotlight.
According to a body language expert, Judi James, who spoke to Cosmopolitan about the royal-nudging:"It's quite a theatrical-based technique."
"She's well aware that Harry is the star and popular among royal fans so, as a former actress, she's very cleverly trying not to up-stage him.
"By pushing him forward ever so slightly, she boosts the prince's ego and profile, making him feel more of an alpha male in the situation."
She said the Duchess may be "conscious not to appear overly dominant", as she is probably the more confident partner in the relationship.
"It will work well with the public," she says. "[Meghan] is a Hollywood actress that's come over to the UK so will be conscious not to appear overly dominant. It's a canny move. As the older partner in the relationship with slightly more experience in A-list situations, I'd say she's more confident than Harry by a mile."
While the couple have previously appeared to somewhat 'break' royal protocol with public displays of affection, and Meghan has appeared to take a modern approach to the royal lifestyle in many ways, this move is quite traditional for her.
However, it speaks volumes to her power in the relationship, and suggests she is in control of how they appear to the public, according to James.
"Meghan's penchant for backseat driving is seen in her constant touching of Harry's back with the palm of her hand. It's quite a controlling quasi-maternal support gesture, pushing him along, but it's also flirtatious."
We can't wait to see more of Meghan's clever techniques during their official tour of Australia next month.
Top Comments
Not sure that Meghan is the one with more experience in “A list situations”. Harry’s been around celebs and important people since childhood, he’s grown up with that sort of thing. Meghan (nothing against her) was an actress, true, but she wasn’t that famous until she started dating Harry.
Also worth pointing out that Meghan's experience being around celebrities as the star of a Netflix show hardly trumps experience of being around people who actually matter, such as political leaders. Doing a few talks about feminism and running a blog hardly makes her a seasoned authority in diplomacy and political science. It would be really good if the media quit trying to portray her as some sort of Yoda-like figure.
Harry has spent his entire life in front of the cameras and under scrutiny. He doesn't need coaching or direction from someone who's relatively inexperienced and very new to this game.