Body Language Experts Break Down Prince Harry's Relationship With William & Kate's Children
While watching royals become parents is incredibly exciting, it's also amazing to see other members become aunts and uncles. When Prince William and Princess Catherine welcomed their first child, Prince George, everyone wanted to know what Prince Harry thought about the little royal. He had just become an uncle for the first time, and the prince known for his party spirit and wild antics suddenly found himself having to take on a more serious role.
The press drilled Harry about his new nephew every chance they got, and this process repeated itself two more times when Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were born. Catherine and William are private when it comes to their children — and rightly so, because one day, they won't be able to escape the spotlight anymore. Prince Harry has always appeared to respect this, never saying more than necessary when speaking about his niece and nephews. Of course, that hasn't dissuaded the public and the press from speculating about the kind of relationship he has with them.
While Harry used to spend a lot of time with William's family, all that changed when he and Meghan Markle left the royal fold. As to what kind of relationship Harry now has with his brother's children, one can only guess, but looking at past pictures and videos can tell us a lot about the relationship the prince had with them prior to his departure — and we've got the tea.
Harry loved becoming an uncle
When Prince William and Princess Catherine welcomed Prince George into the world in 2013, Prince Harry wasn't yet married and didn't have any children of his own, so getting to dote on William's newborn baby was a new experience for him. Speaking to ABC News shortly after Prince George's birth, Harry, who already had the pleasure of spending some time with his nephew by then, couldn't stop grinning when journalists asked him about the newborn. "It's fantastic to have another addition to the family," Harry gushed. "I only hope my brother knows how expensive my babysitting charges are," he quipped.
While some might have interpreted Harry's joke as a subtle message that he wasn't interested in babysitting, body language expert Mark Bowden argued that's not the case. "Harry displays a genuine smile of pleasure when discussing his high charges for babysitting nephew George," Bowden told The List. "Perhaps, it's a humorous hint that even though he has been knocked down a rung in his value to the throne, he can still perform valuable duties for the crown." Harry also told reporters that he wanted to make sure the new royal had fun. According to Bowden, the slight frown that appeared on Harry's forehead as he said this suggested some concern for his nephew, perhaps because Harry knows that a royal childhood often isn't as fun as it appears from the outside.
Harry didn't mind that William's children bumped him down the line of succession
When Prince William started a family, many wondered how Prince Harry felt about being bumped down the line of succession. While speaking to Harry before the birth of Princess Charlotte, IBTimes UK mentioned to the prince that the likeliness of him becoming king dwindled as William's family grew. Harry laughed in response and shot back, "Great!" Speaking to The List, body language expert Mark Bowden said the reality was that the prince was more annoyed by "the manipulative line of questioning, rather than the idea of being less likely to be king now."
CBS Mornings also continued with the relentless questioning. The interviewer tried to get a reaction out of Harry by joking that Prince George was upstaging him, to which the prince replied, "I know," and then added, "I wish he was here. I think he would love it." Bowden explained that Harry's body language during this moment portrayed how tired he was of these kinds of remarks. "He closes his eyes in an eye-blocking behavior, followed by raising his eyes in disbelief," Bowden said. "One interpretation could be that he feels protective over these two minors [George and Charlotte] in the public eye, understanding the media scrutiny they face. This protective stance may stem from his own experiences and suggests he doesn't envy the popularity and spotlight they have as children." If anything, it appears Harry was relieved that his chances of becoming the monarch were dwindling.
Harry initially had a close relationship with Prince George and Princess Charlotte
Prince Harry left the royal fold when Prince Louis was still very young, but he got to foster a special bond with Prince George and Princess Charlotte before he left the U.K., and according to our body language expert, past pictures and videos show just how close Harry really was with his niece and nephew.
Before the great royal feud, Harry was often spotted throwing endearing gazes George's way. One such moment was captured while the royals were all gathered on the palace balcony. In the snap, Harry can be seen grinning as he looked down at his nephew, and body language expert Jess Ponce III exclusively told The List that this image shows how fond Harry is of George. "His smile reflects a mix of amusement and interest, perhaps pondering the unfolding moment or contemplating the future king of England's growth," Ponce explained. "One thing is certain — he is captivated by George, viewing his actions with a favorable light, as if conveying, 'kids will be kids.'"
In another incredibly sweet moment, Harry was seen smiling at Princess Charlotte during Queen Elizabeth II's funeral, which Ponce said is a tender display of their special bond. "A small yet intimate moment, he smiles at her adjustment of her hat, displaying a keen awareness of her nervousness. This endearing interaction reveals a special bond and Prince Harry's youthful spirit," Ponce said.
Harry and William's feud didn't affect his love for the children
It's no secret that Prince Harry and Prince William didn't see eye to eye on Meghan Markle, and naturally, we've wondered whether the tension between the adults ever affected Harry's relationship with his niece and nephews. Things between him and William had already started going south by the time Prince Louis was born, and according to Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand's book, "Finding Freedom," Harry didn't get to foster the same close bond with Louis because invitations to visit the Cambridges had dried up. "Harry spent less time with Prince Louis than the others because of the growing tension between him and his brother after the baby's birth," the duo alleged in the book.
Harry still attended Louis' christening, along with Meghan Markle, and video footage of the event (via 5 News) shows him trailing far behind his brother and Princess Catherine as they leave the church. Body language expert Jess Ponce III told The List that, while Harry and Meghan were following royal protocol by lagging behind, "a sense of displacement or purposelessness emerges," as they continue their walk from the church. "No signs of animosity towards Prince Louis are evident," Ponce said. "Despite any adult tensions, the warmth between Harry, Meghan, and the children remains unaffected."
Harry is protective of William's children
They might not be his own, but Prince Harry is very protective of Prince William's children. Speaking with The Telegraph, Harry admitted that he worries about his niece and nephews. "I still feel a responsibility knowing that out of those three children, at least one will end up like me, the spare. And that hurts, that worries me," Harry said.
Harry's protectiveness of the young royals has also been spotted in interviews. When they were brought up during a chat with CBS Mornings, Harry seemed none too thrilled with the turn of the conversation. "Harry locks eye contact, with his chin down and forehead lowered in a defensive manner as his nephew and niece are brought up," body language expert Mark Bowden told The List. Bowden added that Harry showed clear signs of wanting to take control of the conversation, which ended up centering around Prince George, and that he was determined to keep it positive.
Harry's protective side made an appearance once again at Queen Elizabeth II's funeral. In one picture, he can be seen walking behind Prince George in a procession. While everyone looks understandably morbid in the picture, body language expert Jess Ponce III pointed out that Harry's body language was even more telling. "At the queen's funeral, a distant look in his eyes suggests a contemplative mood, reminiscent of his experiences with his mother. Harry may desire a more normal life for his nephew, Prince George," Ponce told us.