Prince Harry's Body Language at Beyoncé Concert "Lurched Between Two Extremes," Expert Says
He enjoyed it but appeared worried about upcoming engagements.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle caught the Renaissance World Tour stop in Los Angeles last Friday, and much has been made about their demeanor while watching the blockbuster show.
Some media outlets portrayed Harry as looking "miserable" throughout the concert, and conveniently ignored the fact that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex also shared some adorable moments of dancing and engaging in sweet PDA.
Meanwhile, body language expert and seasoned royal commentator Judi James has taken a refreshingly balanced view on the footage she saw from the night.
"Harry's body language lurches between two extremes at this concert while Meghan's is unmistakably set on 'happy' and 'fan girl.' [Her] behavior is immersive in all these clips," James told the Mirror.
"[He's] smiling here at times but he also looks like a man with a lot on his mind during other moments, given his pending trip to the UK and his hosting of the Invictus Games.
"He seems delighted to [take] a selfie, which both his and Meghan's expressions and his arm stretch and grins suggest could be for the children, but there are some photos where he seems to have zoned out, standing back from the dancing group wearing a sombre facial expression with either his hands stuffed in his pockets in a gesture of reluctance, or even staring down at his phone."
James added, "He looks happy standing with Meghan and with his arms around her and his hand on her hip but after they hug his smile seems to vanish quickly."
Harry has many things to think about right now, and anyone with a tendency towards anxiety will recognize the inability to focus on the here and now when you're stuck in the worry of what's to come.
The duke is set to return to the U.K. to attend the WellChild Awards charity event on Sept. 7, the day before the anniversary of his grandmother the Queen's passing. Then, he will head off to Germany for the Invictus Games in Düsseldorf, which will be held between Sept. 9 and 16.
Meanwhile, there's the matter of whether or not King Charles will end up holding so-called "peace talks" with his youngest son during his visit to Europe, which is sure to be weighing on Harry's mind.
"We've seen Harry getting anxious and tense before a big event before. He's actually featured telling Meghan how nervous he is before [an event last year] and we also heard her reassure and soothe him," James commented.
"This fluctuating behavior could be a sign of something similar. Meghan might have taken him out for the night with friends to try to get him to have some fun before the heavy lifting starts this week.
"He looks happy in embraces with Meghan but his mood does seem to change when he is standing back, looking rather self-isolated and glum."
