Prince Harry and Meghan Markle appeared to share an uncomfortable moment during their first overseas royal tour in 2018—one that body language experts say revealed far more than the couple intended.
As the newlyweds touched down at Nausori Airport in Fiji, cameras captured Meghan, then 44, seemingly reaching for Harry’s hand. But instead of slowing down, the Duke of Sussex kept moving forward, leaving the Duchess trailing just behind him. Meghan tried again—yet Harry continued ahead, either missing her cue or deliberately sticking to royal protocol.
According to body language expert Judi James, this brief exchange told a bigger story. Speaking at the time, she suggested Harry looked visibly conflicted—caught between his lifelong royal training and the instincts of a newly married husband.
“Harry sticks to the protocol of status by walking first here,” James explained, “but he also twists his right arm awkwardly behind his back to hold her hand.” The result? What she described as an “awkward moment” filled with “divided loyalties” and “conflicting priorities.”
