A new video of Meghan Markle celebrating the Los Angeles Dodgers' World Series win has drawn sharp criticism online, with body language experts and viewers accusing the Duchess of Sussex of staging the moment for social media. The short Instagram Story, posted on November 1, showed Markle cheering energetically alongside her friend Kelly McKee Zajfen, while Prince Harry sat silently across the room - a contrast that many interpreted as symbolic of emotional distance between the couple.
Filmed inside their Montecito home, the clip opens with Harry seated alone in a chair on the right side of the frame. Off-screen, Markle and Zajfen can be heard yelling, "What? What? What?" before the Duchess walks into view to plant a kiss on her husband. Harry barely reacts, maintaining a stiff posture as Markle turns away to jump with excitement beside her friend. Notably, the room is silent except for their voices - no crowd noise, commentary, or signs of the televised game are audible.
Body language analyst Traci Brown told RadarOnline that the scene appeared "staged" and revealed signs of tension. "Harry didn't even sit with his wife to watch the game," Brown said. "He appeared on the other side of the room, disengaged and stressed."
Brown added that Markle's movements and energy suggested she was seeking validation from Harry. "What we see is two people having very different responses to the same stimulus," she told Geo News. "She's hoping for a response, and she's a tad hesitant as she gets closer because her energy isn't being returned."
The analyst also questioned the setup of the video itself. "It's unusual to have a camera filming you watching a game, so she was planning on posting something," Brown said. "The moment was planned - the celebration specifics may not have been."
Online reaction mirrored that assessment, with critics calling the clip "awkward," "cringe-worthy," and "a performance." One viewer wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that "Harry looks like he's just trying to survive the influencer circus." Another said, "There's no connection there - it feels rehearsed."
Supporters of Markle defended the video as a lighthearted moment between friends, but others saw it as another example of the couple's growing public disconnect. The Duchess's newly launched lifestyle brand, With Love, Meghan, has placed her back in the influencer spotlight, while Harry has kept a noticeably lower profile.
According to Yahoo Entertainment, one explanation for Harry's lack of enthusiasm could be as simple as team loyalty - the Duke reportedly favored the Toronto Blue Jays, who lost the game in extra innings. But analysts such as Brown argue that his subdued demeanor hints at deeper unease.
This isn't the first time Markle's curated social media presence has fueled speculation about tension between the two. Public commentators have frequently noted the mismatch in tone between Markle's polished, brand-driven appearances and Harry's more reserved personality.
