Meghan Markle wears the pants, not Prince Harry, a body language expert reveals
MEGHAN Markle is the boss of her new official royal relationship, a body language expert has revealed, as the wedding’s naughtiest royal is caught out.
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SHE may have worn a stunning white dress to marry her British prince but a body language has revealed Meghan Markle also wore the pants during Saturday’s lavish ceremony at St George’s Chapel in Windsor.
And Dr Louise Mahler, an Australian body language and voice expert, doesn’t expert the Duchess of Sussex to stop calling the shots any time soon with Prince Harry happy to play the bodyguard while Ms Markle runs the show.
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Dr Mahler, a body language and voice expert, also revealed:
• Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall was the “naughtiest” among the guests;
• Prince Harry was “angry” at times;
• Sarah Ferguson was a “devastated mess”;
• And the Queen was subtle but obvious in how happy she was to have Meghan join the family.
Dr Mahler said Prince Harry was a nervous wreck while Meghan Markle held herself together “faultlessly” at their wedding.
The former Suits actress turned member of the British Royal Family showed how she ruled the roost in the Kensington Palace household with the Duchess showing complete composure despite being plunged into a society that couldn’t be more opposite from her humble upbringing.
And while he may have grown up in a world of royalty, Prince Harry, now the Duke of Sussex, showed several signs of how uncomfortable and anxious he was during the hugely-anticipated nuptials.
HARRY AND MEGHAN FIRST SIGHTING
Dr Mahler said Prince Harry “gulped” when he first spotted his wife, and had multiple self-touching checks during the ceremony, while Meghan — for the most part — kept her composure.
“He gulped, he grabbed for his button, there was also points where he grabbed for where his belt was, just above his crotch, he kept fiddling there as if it was a security blanket spot.
“When I see Harry with her he becomes like a bodyguard, he wants everything to be perfect for her so he becomes quite anxious about it being perfect for Meghan.
“Meghan was a lot more composed than him. She runs the show.”
She said the Duchess of Sussex showed “minor” signs of stress.
“She finished her sentences quite sharply which shows little hints of stress but we all know the week she’s had so that’s completely understandable.
“Meghan for the most part was poised.”
THE PREACHER
Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall was the “naughtiest” during US Bishop Michael Curry’s dramatic speech at the ceremony.
“Camilla was the worst, she wriggled like a jelly on a plate, she was very naughty during that,” Dr Mahler said.
“She was really looking for a laugh and someone to play with.
“Kate was even amused by it, trying not to crack a smile. Charles was looking at the floor trying not to laugh. Beatrice was laughing.
“The Queen and Philip were even wriggling. The Queen looked bored with it, not so much angry. I think she showed she was thinking ‘you asked for it, you got it’ (to Meghan who enlisted the bishop).
“Given the delicacy of everything that’s gone on this week, the bishop’s extreme variations in pitch, swinging his body and gestures, was just too strongly emotive and he didn’t have the rapport of the audience which is why they were all wriggling.”
While most of the Royal Family members were holding back giggles, Prince Harry looked “angry” about it, which Dr Mahler believes is because he was worried it would ruin Meghan’s moment.
“He put his head to one side which says ‘my thinking is not here’, he had a lopsided smile which says sarcasm, he tucked his hand under his leg which shows frustration, and he was still and frozen with his eyes which shows anger.”
THEIR FIRST KISS
Further on from her observation that Meghan “runs the show”, Dr Mahler noticed the former actress gave Prince Harry the cue to kiss her on the steps outside the chapel.
“She definitely gave him the cue for when it was time to do the kiss,” she said. “She is the boss in the relationship.
“You would notice in their engagement interview when Harry went to reveal the friend’s name who set them up and Meghan tapped him and looked at him and he stopped immediately.
“The kiss itself was very warm, and it was long.
“It wasn’t just a peck, there was pressure on the lips.
“It just shows that they know each other so well.”
Dr Mahler said it was a stark contrast to Prince William and Catherine Middleton’s kiss on the balcony at Buckingham Palace after their 2011 nuptials.
“Kate and Wills was more of an embarrassed kiss, they giggled as if they thought it was cute, but these two are just so comfortable with each other and that really showed through their kiss.”
DORIA RAGLAND, MOTHER
Despite a stressful week, with her ex-husband pulling out of the ceremony and his children trashing Meghan, Doria was the most poised throughout the ceremony, Dr Mahler said.
Meghan’s mother, who rode with her to the church, sat by herself as the only Markle family member, and while that may have been daunting, her body language did not show that she was at all emotional.
“I thought Doria was magnificent with how she held her composure,” Dr Mahler said.
“No doubt she was nervous but you couldn’t see it.
“She’s a yoga teacher so she knows how to breathe and keep neutrality.
“She never showed that she was overwhelmed or any extreme emotion. She looked to the heavens once but apart from that her eyes were straight and her jaw was loose. She was poised.”
CHARLES WALKING MEGHAN UP THE AISLE
He certainly isn’t the favourite Royal Family member but viewers were pleasantly surprised to see Prince Charles beaming with happiness when he walked his daughter-in-law down the aisle.
“It was completely out of character, the warmth of Charles,” Dr Mahler said.
“Look at Charles’ own wedding with Diana. He just had a straight face.
“But he was embracing Meghan and it was a clear message of welcoming her to the family.
“She didn’t fall in his arms, she kept composure and held her own while he leant toward her.
“He held it together faultlessly and it was a message of ‘we are completely joyful’.”
Dr Mahler added she believed Charles’ warmness was genuine.
“I got the vibe it was very sincere,” she said. “I’m sure he was told to do it but in no way did he not want to.”
THE QUEEN AND PRINCE PHILIP
While she can easily show clear signs of being “cranky” at times, Dr Mahler said she believed the Queen was genuinely thrilled for her grandson on his wedding day.
She also said Prince Philip was happy to be there, despite recovering from hip surgery.
“They really were delighted,” Dr Mahler said.
“The Queen didn’t get grumpy at all, I mean I think she was quite happy to get out of there but while she was there, she was with it.
“She often blinks and looks down which shows signs of crankiness, but I don’t think she looked cranky. She really is welcoming Meghan in. She was spotless in not showing any distaste for her.
“And Prince Philip would give it away if they weren’t, he doesn’t hide his expressions. But he was smiling.
“Even if all of the members of the Royal Family were happy to have Meghan we might’ve got a glimpse of somebody looking unhappy at one stage but they all showed genuine happiness.”
CHARLES AND CAMILLA
While Camilla took the cake for being the “naughtiest” member, showing too much emotion throughout the nuptials, Dr Mahler said the Duchess and her husband “play off each other” at times.
“We didn’t see them together as much but Camilla was very poorly behaved during the sermon, she was looking for a laugh and for someone to play with.
“She shook her head at one point, that is very naughty. Charles we got a glimpse of him with his head down looking at the floor trying not to laugh so as to not engage.
“But these two play off each other.”
SARAH FERGUSON, DUCHESS OF YORK
Dr Mahler said Fergie was a downright mess as she arrived at the ceremony, and her all but exiled status from the Royal Family was obvious.
“Fergie’s entrance showed Fergie in massive discomfort. She had her mouth shut, she was twirling her legs in front of her like ‘I don’t even care’, she was very awkward,” Dr Mahler said.
“When she finally got to Prince Andrew she grabbed him around the neck and hung from him like she was drowning in the ocean and he was a life buoy thrown to her.
“She really grabbed on to him and it shows she was devastated to be arriving alone. The way she walked, it was just all about her.”
CELEBRITY GUESTS
All the celebrities, from the cast of Suits, Serena Williams, George and Amal Clooney, James Blunt and James Corden, were beyond excited to be attending the most-watched wedding in history, Dr Mahler said.
However, she noticed one famous face among the crowd who wasn’t all that amped.
“Victoria Beckham looked so bored,” she said.
“And she wore a dark colour, again. She just never looks very happy to be anywhere.”
Originally published as Meghan Markle wears the pants, not Prince Harry, a body language expert reveals
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