Prince Harry leads a smiling Meghan by the hand as couple leave her New York ‘relaunch’ speech to celebrate her golden moment – as body language expert says Duchess was in full ‘goddess mode’ and ‘conducting her audience’
- Judi James says Meghan was ‘dressed and styled in goddess mode’ last night
- She used ‘open gestures and a sing-song voice’ as she accepted feminist award
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were all smiles as they left a ballroom in New York last night following their first public appearance together since the Coronation.
And a body language expert told MailOnline that Meghan spoke in a ‘dreamier tone than usual’ and was ‘conducting her audience’ during her speech in Manhattan.
Judi James said the Duchess of Sussex was ‘dressed and styled in goddess mode’ and used ‘open gestures and a sing-song voice’ as she accepted a feminist award.
The expert added that Meghan made a ‘powerful’ reference to her mother Doria Ragland who was in the audience at the Ziegfeld Ballroom last night, saying her left hand worked in a ‘vertical chopping gesture to suggest pride and a desire to defend’.
She also said 41-year-old Meghan used ‘verbal mirroring to create empathy with her audience’ while speaking about being a young girl and ‘adopting that voice’.
And Ms James referred to how Meghan had a ‘calm fluidity of her speech and movements’ during the Ms Foundation for Women’s 50th anniversary gala event.
The Duke and Duchess smile last night as they depart the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York
Prince Harry and Meghan smile as they leave the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York last night
The couple leave after the Ms Foundation for Women’s 50th anniversary gala in New York
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex leave the ballroom in Manhattan yesterday evening
Prince Harry and Meghan smile as they leave the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York last night
The Duchess received the Ms Foundation’s Women of Vision Award, recognising her ‘global advocacy to empower and advocate on behalf of women and girls’.
READ MORE Meghan uses Queen’s mantra for her own crowning moment: Duchess hails ‘service’ as she accepts Women of Vision award at glitzy New York gala with Prince Harry
She wore a strapless gold midi dress with scalloped pattern detailing, and her acceptance speech closed out the gala where she said: ‘It’s never too late to start. You can be the visionary of your own life… There is still so much work to be done.’
Analysing videos of her speech posted online, Ms James said: ‘Dressed and styled in goddess mode, with her gold sheath dress and her hair pulled to one side, Meghan seems to start this speech as a guru, speaking in a softer, almost dreamier tone than usual, turning frequently to her iconic hosts behind her and gesticulating with one hand in what looks like a gesture of respect.
‘She clasps her hands in front of her lower chest and there is a calm fluidity of her speech and movements as she glances behind her again.
‘Meghan picks up her pace for a change of emphasis, adding more tone and energy as she addresses the crowd direct.
‘Her eye contact with them works on a rotate and her left hand seems to be conducting her words with a fluid wrist movement, as though also conducting her audience as she gets her life messages across.’
Meghan also spoke of her love of eating her dinner from a TV tray in front of quiz show Jeopardy! in her younger years – something she mentioned in her Archetypes podcast last November .
Commenting on this, Ms James said: ‘Meghan touches her hair in a self-lowering gesture as she begins to use verbal mirroring to create empathy with her audience, speaking about her time as a young girl and even adopting that voice, as though re-experiencing it.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the Ms Foundation Women of Vision Awards last night
The Sussexes were joined by Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, for the event last night
‘She bounces on her heels and uses open gestures and a sing-song voice.’
READ MORE Meghan’s speech decoded: Hidden messages in Duchess’ Women of Vision speech with a nod to acts of service, vowing to stand up for ‘what is true’ and retelling story about how she grew up eating TV dinners
Meghan also paid tribute to her mother Ms Ragland when talking about copies of the feminist magazine Ms which used to be on the coffee table at their home.
The Duchess said: ‘I was too young at the time to know what most of it meant. But I also knew to my mum, my dear mom, I’m honoured to have you here tonight, I knew the significance of these magazines was important. It wasn’t a one-off – she had a subscription.’
Commenting on this moment, Ms James said: ‘There is a powerful link to family from Meghan here. Talking about diversity in magazines she makes a very dramatic reference to her mother in the audience. She refers to “My mom, my dear mom, who I’m honoured to have with me tonight”.
‘This is not just a passing reference as she stops her speech to praise Doria. Her left hand works in a vertical chopping gesture to suggest pride and a desire to defend, while her right hand is thrown out towards where Doria is sitting.’
Ms James added: ‘Meghan performs a sweet smile and a head tilt, plus a pause and the right hand becomes a cue for the audience to applaud.’
Meghan, 41, also posed for a solo shot before making her way inside the awards ceremony
Meghan arrives in a $1,850 strapless gold dress with scalloped pattern detailing last night
Meghan was presented with the award by feminist activist Gloria Steinem (pictured together)
Meghan was presented with the award by the well-known feminist activist Gloria Steinem.
Her acceptance speech closed out the gala where she said: ‘It’s never too late to start. You can be the visionary of your own life… There is still so much work to be done.
Yesterday’s event marks the first public event that Harry and Meghan have attended together since the duke made the solo trip to the King’s coronation earlier this month.
Meghan had opted to stay at their US home in Montecito, California, with their two children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Last year the pair became the recipients of the NAACP President’s Award as well as the Robert F Kennedy Ripple of Hope Award, at a ceremony also held in New York.
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