Prince Harry was notably absent from Trooping the Colour on Saturday, attending a Knicks basketball game instead. Body language expert Darren Stanton analyzed his behavior, suggesting he appeared tense and unhappy.
Body Language Analysis
Speaking to OLBG, Stanton noted that Harry did not look relaxed during the game. 'Normally when Harry is out at engagements, he shows lots of microexpressions of happiness but we didn’t see any of those during his trip to the basketball,' Stanton said. 'He just didn’t seem as happy as normal. From his non-verbal gestures, I got the sense that his head isn’t whole-heartedly in this event. It’s like he has a lot going on in his mind.'
Stanton pointed out specific gestures, including moving his head around, which is a classic sign of tension. 'His shoulders are up. He doesn’t look as relaxed. He exhibits some of the behaviours we used to see from him many years ago, they’re pacifying gestures that are signs of insecurity. He has his hand slightly in his pocket and he later puts his hands on his chest. It’s like he’s reassuring himself.'
These gestures suggest that Harry may feel sad to be so far away from the festivities in London.
Harry's Last Trooping the Colour
Harry last attended Trooping the Colour in 2019 with his wife, Meghan Markle, just weeks after the birth of their son, Prince Archie, now seven. The couple stepped down from royal duties in early 2020, and the event was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Harry and Meghan, along with their two children including Princess Lilibet, traveled to the UK in 2022 for the late Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee. However, as non-working royals, they did not appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony.
Royal Family at Trooping the Colour
King Charles was joined by Queen Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales with their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, as well as the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Princess Anne and Sir Timothy Laurence, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent.
