Prince Harry and Meghan were “clinging together as survivors” during their first joint public engagement in the UK since stepping down as working royals, a body language expert has claimed.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex returned to Nottingham for a series of charity visits, where they greeted a crowd of about 100 people and recreated scenes from their first royal engagement together in the city.
Meghan, 45, accepted bouquets, cards and balloons from supporters, telling them “it’s great to be back”, while Harry, 42, repeatedly put an arm around her as they posed for photographs and selfies.
Judi James said the couple appeared to be projecting “joyful return” and delight at being back in Britain, but suggested Harry’s physical contact with his wife also indicated caution and a desire to protect her.
“At one point he placed an arm around her shoulders in a ‘protective wing’ gesture,” she said.
“The non-verbal ‘tell’ here of inner tension and caution came from his fingers, which dug tightly into Meghan’s shoulder at neck level, suggesting he felt keen to clutch her and keep her even closer.”
When Meghan put an arm around Harry’s waist, Ms James described the resulting embrace as a “double-cling”, saying it made them appear to be “clinging together as survivors”.
She said their expressions conveyed relief and enthusiasm, comparing the couple’s interaction with the public to performers appearing before an “ecstatic audience at the O2 arena”.
Ms James also pointed to what she interpreted as signs of vulnerability during a visit to a community recording studio, where Meghan watched her husband take part in an acting workshop.
She said Meghan sat with one arm wrapped around her torso while the fingers of her other hand touched her throat, which she described as a “common sign of feelings of vulnerability”. She added that Meghan’s expression appeared briefly worried or fearful.
The couple’s visit began with a walkabout in Nottingham, the city where they appeared together after announcing their engagement in 2017. Meghan shook hands with well-wishers and took selfies, including with a boy who asked whether she lived in a mansion and another who asked if she had a Bentley.
Harry and Meghan were welcomed to the Community Recording Studio by its chief executive, Trevor Rose. The youth and community charity was one of several organisations included in their programme.
They were also due to visit Nottingham’s largest food bank, Epic Partners, which provides sports mentoring for children aged four to 18, and the Himmah Hub.
At the hub, they were expected to meet members of the Hubb Community Kitchen, a volunteer group established after the Grenfell Tower fire. Meghan wrote the foreword to its 2018 cookbook, Together.
Supporters cheered as the Sussexes entered the recording studio. Emily Davis, 21, who gave Meghan a bunch of yellow flowers, said it had been an honour to meet her.
“I gave her flowers, and I shook her hand. I just said, ‘I’ve always wanted to meet you. It’s an honour’,” Ms Davis said.
She added that Meghan had accepted a card, folded it and put it in her pocket to read later.
The engagement came as the King and Queen carried out an official visit in Wales, with the Sussexes described as “private citizens”.
A source said there was a “really nice synergy” in Harry and Meghan returning to Nottingham almost a decade after their previous visit, although the couple’s roles have changed since then.
Meghan is not regarded as a working royal and has been described by a friend as a “full-time mum and entrepreneur”. Her public appearances are expected to be relatively rare as she considers acting scripts and works on her lifestyle brand, As Ever.
Harry’s professional focus remains his charity work, particularly Invictus, while Meghan is concentrating on her family, business interests and a possible return to acting.
