Prince Harry appeared noticeably more restrained than Meghan Markle during the couple's red carpet appearance in Canada, according to body language expert Judi James, who described the Duke of Sussex as "less reciprocal" while analyzing photographs from the David Foster Foundation's 40th anniversary gala.
Harry and Meghan made the rare joint appearance Friday, days after the Duchess of Sussex celebrated her 45th birthday. The couple smiled and posed together for photographers, presenting a united public image while attending an event honoring their longtime friend David Foster.
James, however, said the photographs showed a difference in how the couple displayed affection in front of the cameras. She pointed to Meghan pressing against Harry and placing a hand on his chest while looking directly toward photographers, contrasting those gestures with what she described as Harry's more controlled posture.
"Meghan uses a togetherness pose with Harry to register ongoing affection here, pressing into his torso and placing one hand onto his chest in a gesture of ownership as her eyes again greet the camera directly in a 'My man' style of celebrity pose and her lips part in a wide, teeth-baring smile of relationship bliss," James said.
Harry's physical response was less demonstrative, James argued. She focused on his closed-mouth expression, direct gaze toward the cameras and the way his fingers rested lightly against Meghan's back.
"Harry's hard stare into the camera, his closed lips and the very light placement of his fingers on her back make him look less reciprocal and more subtle when it comes to emotional boasting," James said.
James also suggested that Harry's overall stance looked unusually deliberate. She said the position of his feet and arms appeared to mirror Meghan's posture, giving the impression of a practiced red carpet pose rather than Harry's typically more relaxed public demeanor.
"This looks like a model pose and it appears to mirror his wife's stance," James said. "He even tops it off with something of a 'Zoolander'-style intense stare into the camera while his 'smile' is performed with closed lips rather than the usual friendly and fun Harry-style grin."
The observations offer one interpretation of a brief public appearance rather than evidence of tension between Harry and Meghan. Body-language assessments are inherently subjective, and individual photographs cannot establish a person's emotional state or the condition of a marriage.
Other photographs from the same evening presented a less guarded image of the couple. Meghan later shared a photograph showing herself and Harry smiling closely together, while the Sussexes also posed with Foster and his wife, Katharine McPhee.
Meghan wore a dark gown from Canadian designer Greta Constantine for the gala and paired it with diamond-and-sapphire butterfly earrings previously owned by Princess Diana. Harry appeared alongside her in a black tuxedo.
The Canadian appearance also followed a more informal glimpse of their relationship surrounding Meghan's birthday. A video shared by the Duchess showed her dancing in the kitchen while Harry recorded her from behind the camera, offering a markedly different setting from the carefully choreographed environment of a red carpet.
