Our Body Language Expert Dives Into Prince Harry's Past Relationships
There is no denying that since marrying Meghan Markle, Prince Harry's reputation has changed monumentally. That's never been more obvious than when you look at his body language, from his carefree days as boyfriend to Chelsy Davy to his more subdued appearances with Cressida Bonas, and finally to his mature, more serious side since meeting Meghan.
In this exclusive report with our seasoned body language expert, we delve into the non-verbal cues that painted the canvas of Prince Harry's love life. As we scroll through the frames of Harry's past, our body language expert dissects the subtle nuances that unfolded in his interactions with Davy and Bonas. Did his demeanor shift when he was with them compared to the captivating Meghan Markle? Our expert scrutinizes each image and video, unveiling the unspoken language that might have hinted at the complexities beneath the surface. Pictures speak a thousand words so get ready to dive into all the subtle cues you might have missed from the flame-haired prince who once held the hearts of a nation in his hands before fleeing to Montecito with his American wife.
Prince Harry gave Chelsy Davy the cold shoulder during a polo match
Prince Harry's relationship with Chelsy Davy, which lasted on and off from 2004 to 2011, was arguably his most serious relationship before his marriage to Meghan Markle. In 2006, the pair were photographed watching a polo match in Windsor, and the air looked frosty between them. Adrianne Carter, Body Language Expert, claimed, "The more space we instinctively put between another person literally, the more space there is away from them emotionally and mentally. In this picture, Harry and Chelsy look completely disconnected."
In reference to the myth that crossed arms can mean defensiveness, Carter added, "It can in some contexts show the person feels the need to comfort and protect themselves, particularly when their body language looks tense and not relaxed. Chelsy looks tense and she is self-comforting and protecting herself as shown by the way she is holding her arms across her body." And what about those serious facial expressions? "Their facial expressions are showing a tenseness and are closed emotionally," Carter asserted. "These are the typical faces of a couple that have argued very recently and are feeling very annoyed with each other."
The argument theory looks pretty clear in the photo, and it appears Harry might have been on the losing end. "Prince Harry is literally giving Chelsy the cold shoulder in this photo," Carter added. "We turn our back or angle our shoulders away from things that displease us or we don't like."
Chelsy Davy and Prince Harry were not in sync during his graduation ceremony
In his memoir "Spare," Harry recounted details that led to the demise of his relationship with Chelsy Davy, blaming the media for its downfall. Per Marie Claire, Harry wrote about the paranoia that surrounded them when details of their private conversations were splashed across the front pages of newspapers. "A royal life was not for her," Harry recalled of Davy's decision. As the press intrusion became too much for her while living in England, Harry wrote about his ex-girlfriend, "Everyone has a limit to what they can endure."
In 2010, just a year before their split, Davy watched Prince Harry receive his army pilot wings from his father, King Charles III, at a graduation ceremony. However, it appears the pair were on two different wavelengths. "Whenever the hand comes across the body, there's an element of feeling the need to protect the self," Adrianne Carter, Body Language Expert, told The List. "Harry's body language shows a feeling of uncertainty. His facial expression also shows some slight anxiety. When the lips are stretched across as they are in this photo, it's part of the anxiety emotion display."
Davy, on the other hand, "is displaying a genuine smile of enjoyment ... this shows she feels happy and is enjoying the moment." Commenting that the pair are not in sync, Carter told us, "She is confident and happy, and he is uneasy and less than confident."
Cressida Bonas wanted attention from an unresponsive Prince Harry
Prince Harry and Cressida Bonas dated from 2012 to 2014, and just like his relationship with Chelsy Davy, the pair split due to public scrutiny which Bonas couldn't take anymore. Harry talked about his relationship with "Cress" in his book "Spare," claiming she was the first person to help him cry since the death of his mother Princess Diana while they were on a skiing trip. However, after the trip they split at her friend's house.
In 2014, they attended a WE Day event at Wembley Arena in London. Adrianne Carter, Body Language Expert told us, "Cressida is directing all her attention to Harry, her body is angled toward him as well as her head and her arm around his shoulders. It looks as if she is comforting and protecting him." However, it seems Prince Harry wasn't so open to her affections, with Carter telling us, "Harry is not facing towards her in any way and is looking off to the distance, his mind is definitely elsewhere and not focused on Cressida."
Prince Harry looked lost in space throughout the event and completely deep in thought. "His facial expression shows prototypical movements of the anxiety emotion. Lips stretched across and turned inwards," Carter told us. "There's something he's very uncertain about ... It's as if she's trying to get his attention on her but he is very closed off."
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry shared a tense moment on the Buckingham Palace balcony
During the 2019 Trooping the Colour balcony appearance, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry seemed to have a tense moment in which he told her twice to "turn around" leading many to speculate she was about to cry. In the viral exchange, per Cosmopolitan, many royal watchers criticized Harry for his treatment of Meghan, however, others saw it differently claiming the video had been edited. In reality, Harry was likely telling Meghan to turn around so she would be facing forward when "God Save the Queen" started to play.
But what does Adrianne Carter, Body Language Expert, have to say about it? "Harry is very conscious of protocol and the eyes of the world on them. He looks irritated which is seen by the deep grooves on his forehead, between his eyes. This is a classic sign of irritation," Carter told The List.
As for Meghan, Carter added, "Meghan starts off a bit bemused by being told to turn around but on the second telling, turns fully around and we see a slight head tilt which told us there'll be trouble for Harry later." In a slightly empowering point, Carter said Meghan will have something to say to Harry when they're alone, telling us, "Her body language says 'I'll comply now, but just wait until later.'"
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were caught in an incredibly intimate moment
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are known for their very affectionate PDAs, and oftentimes they appear connected even when they aren't holding hands. In one such exchange, during an adorable moment during the first 24 hours of the Invictus Games in 2023, Harry appeared to be whispering something in Meghan's ear while she turned her head toward him. The loved-up pair were watching the wheelchair basketball final between the United States and France on September 13. Of course, they wore coordinating all-black casual outfits and seemed to match on several more occasions throughout the games.
It's clear from many photos of Prince Harry and his wife throughout the Invictus Games that they were more in love and in sync than ever, judging by their expressive PDAs and genuine affection for one another. Adrianne Carter, Body Language Expert, told The List, "This is a genuinely close moment for them both. He's leaning into her and she's leaning back into him. Both expressions are soft, relaxed, and loving. When the body language is mirrored it shows us that they're both on the same wavelength and in agreement."
Meghan Markle looked confident while Prince Harry looked nervous
During the 2023 Invictus Games closing ceremony Prince Harry walked with Meghan Markle in front of the stadium, looking quite nervous compared to his wife's beaming smile. Adrianne Carter, Body Language Expert, told us, "Meghan's megawatt smile is a posed smile for the cameras. She is after all an actress and used to pretending to feel something. Harry mostly is what you see is what you get, whatever he is feeling he generally doesn't hide it."
While it looks like the couple are on different wavelengths, Carter asserted that this is not the case. Rather, Harry is taking the lead in the relationship, something we don't often see him do. "Harry looks focused and in control and is leading Meghan," Carter told The List. "Along with the hand placement, he is feeling in control and at this moment taking the lead in their relationship. Both of their bodies don't look like they're holding any particular tension or seem stiff in any way. Meghan seems relaxed to let Harry take the leadership role."
Prince Harry was giving a speech that night so it's very possible he was a ball of nerves. Meghan on the other hand looked perfectly happy to sit back and let her husband take over. "Harry doesn't look like he's showing much emotion apart from a focused gaze and strong body language," Carter said. "Meghan's smile is definitely posed but she seems happy to follow Harry's lead."