Meghan Markle and Prince Harry marked Mandela Day by attending the 2020 UN Nelson Mandela Prize award ceremony in New York.
The informal meeting was held by the General Assembly, and came just days after explosive claims were made about Meghan by journalist Tom Bower in his forthcoming book about the duchess and her relationship with the royal family, Revenge.
But Meghan was not showing any sign of being upset or feeling vulnerable about the book's claims. In fact, body language expert Judi James exclusively tells OK! that the former actress, 40, still looked "in control" of her 37-year-old husband and it was her taking charge on the momentous occasion.
Judi says: "Her clasp of his hand and arm in the auditorium looked like a gesture of reassurance in the face of nervousness."
Harry seemed to pull his hand away while sitting down with Meghan, which Judi described as "dismissive".
Judi says: "Meghan seems to be holding Harry’s hand as they sit together but then he appears to pull or even snatch his hand away in what looks like a dismissive gesture."
Judi notes that this is surprising given that we have become used to Harry and Meghan's frequent and informal displays of public affection.
"For Harry to pull his hand away is striking, especially from a man for whom PDAs with his wife are a natural and non-negotiable norm," she shared.
Judi also discussed whether or not Harry's gesture was, in fact, just absent minded. "Meghan does appear to take control here, taking his hand back and placing it on her lap and holding his arm with her other hand to correct Harry with a degree of firmness."
"She even glances down at the new PDA as though checking it is reflecting their closeness," she added.
Harry delivered a speech in honour of Nelson Mandela, detailing his legacy and raising concerns about the looming threat of global warming.
His speech also included a sweet reference to his wife, with Harry calling Meghan his "soulmate". Harry also touched on Africa, revealing it was where he felt closest to his mother, the late Diana Princess of Wales.
He said: "I’ve always found hope on the continent. In fact, for most of my life, it has been my lifeline, a place where I have found peace and healing time and time again.
"It’s where I’ve felt closest to my mother and sought solace after she died, and where I knew I had found a soulmate in my wife."
He also looked back to when he and Meghan travelled to Botswana in the early days of their relationship.
Harry told the audience: "I managed to persuade her to come and join me in Botswana and we camped out with each other under the stars.
"Then we were really by ourselves, which was crucial to me to make sure that we had a chance to get to know each other."
READ NEXT:
Prince Harry's relationship with Meghan Markle is 'concerning', says Paul Burrell
- Meghan Markle shares rare insight into parenthood and Archie and Lilibet's bond
- Sweet meaning behind Meghan Markle’s new pinky ring – ‘Everything she does is with intention’
- Inside Harry and Meghan’s family getaway at mountain resort with Archie
- Get exclusive celebrity stories and shoots straight to your inbox with OK!'s daily newsletter
Source: Read Full Article
