A body language expert has analysed Prince Harry's repeated hand placements on Meghan Markle's back during their visit to Nottingham, suggesting the gesture was a deliberate public signal of unity.
Dr Beth Dawson told the Mirror that the Duke of Sussex's touches could be interpreted in several ways. "He could be reassuring her. However it can also be public signalling, and I think that’s what we’re seeing here," she said.
Solidarity over reassurance
Dawson explained that the back touching was more about endorsement than comfort. "Harry is saying to the public: we are a unit, we are a team and he's subconsciously saying: I support this person and what she’s doing. It’s about solidarity more than reassurance," she added.
She also suggested Harry might be the more anxious of the two. "I don't think she's nervous, but I think he is! And his back touches are about him endorsing her and showing the public that they are a team. I think that giving the message that they're a strong solid unit is important to Harry, hence the constant back touching."
Meghan's crowd engagement
Dawson noted Meghan appeared comfortable engaging with the crowd. "She positions herself towards them and stands close for selfies and she knows this creates a sense of warmth and accessibility," she said.
"Meghan understands the importance of making individual members of a crowd feel acknowledged and she does this well with smiles, handshakes and closeness. She is a trained actress so she knows all about managing facial expressions and gestures, but that doesn’t mean her behaviour is insincere."
Mixed public reaction
However, not everyone in Nottingham was welcoming. John Bird, 78, said with little prompting that Harry and Meghan could "p*** off". David Harker, 56, labelled the duchess "nauseating and entitled" and suggested the couple had "made a rod for their own backs" by denigrating the Royal Family while in the US, only to try reintegrating in Britain. "They're not particularly welcome, to be honest," he added.
