Meghan Markle was captured on camera reportedly instructing a woman not to pose near to her husband, Prince Harry, during a photo opportunity following his polo triumph.
A video showing Meghan and two other women with Prince Harry during the prizegiving ceremony at the recent Sentebale Polo Cup circulated on social media. In the footage, Meghan stands next to Prince Harry, while another woman chooses to stand on his opposite side.
Meghan, on the other hand, appears to instruct the woman who wishes to stand beside her husband to move beside her by pointing to the open space between her and the other woman.
Judi James, a top communication and body language expert who has been regularly on BBC News, Sky News, GB News, and CNN, commented on the incident, claiming that the former actress was acting as a "director" during the encounter.
"Meghan will know all about framing a good shot for the cameras, and so it might not be surprising if she had possibly felt compelled to do so here," Judi told The Mirror.
"She and Harry are producing a Netflix show, and her role as director might easily have led her to move this woman about like an extra on a film set. Or perhaps she was just being friendly and wanting to make the woman feel more comfortable next to her where she would be under Meghan's wing,” the body language expert added.
James also noted that Meghan appeared "concerned as the woman takes to the stage and steps beside Harry with her hands on the trophy." The expert also cited a lack of "warm, fond, connecting smiles or acts" between Markle and the woman.
"Like any good director/star Meghan just seems to want to get on with the shot, beaming at Harry and posing beautifully and happily for the camera," Judi continued.
"This is Harry's victory scene, and he and Meghan have performed their romantic kiss perfectly. Meghan seems to urge the woman across to stand in the gap next to her, but when the woman does finally get the hint, she needs to do a very awkward duck and under-arm movement to get to where Meghan has decided she should be,” she continued.
The video elicited numerous reactions on social media, with many cringing at the occurrence.
"They are both so awkward," one netizen stated. "Just like she was a child bossing the other children around at the birthday party. This woman has to control everything and everyone,” another one shared.
"She has such a need to control everybody all the time. It's uncomfortable to watch. She can never let people just be spontaneous, least of all herself," a third person wrote.
Prince Harry and Meghan are currently working on two new Netflix projects. The royal couple attended the ceremony with a film team because one of their next projects is about polo.
