Meghan Markle’s given many interviews over the years. However, a body language expert says she could learn a thing or two from her mother’s Harry & Meghan interview. From Doria Ragland’s “revelation” of an appearance in the Netflix docuseries to a telling ‘‘off-camera’ moment’, an expert dissects Ragland’s Harry & Meghan interview.
Meghan Markle’s mom Doria Ragland proved to be the ‘surprise star’ of the Netflix docuseries, expert says
Prince Harry and Meghan’s Netflix docuseries premiered on Dec. 8 with interviews from family and friends. Among those to sit down in front of the camera was Meghan’s mom, who had, up until that point, never spoken publicly about her daughter’s experience as a senior royal.
Despite not having as much experience on-camera experience as say, some of Meghan’s celebrity friends who were also interviewed, Ragland got high marks from a body language expert.
“Doria is the true surprise star of the series because she has the maturity to apply a calmer approach that, hopefully, Meghan will learn for herself,” body language expert Judi James said (via The Sun).
“Before now, while Harry and Meghan have been suffering from over-exposure, Doria was more of a publicly silent enigma who, like the late queen, refused to comment in public and who, in her own words, held the line.”
“Her appearance is a revelation as she manages to combine love and loyalty with openness, a sense of calm and grudge-free reasonableness,” James explained. Furthermore, “calm comments” from Meghan’s mom “balance some of the dramatic rhetoric from Meghan and Harry” and sit “well between the dramas and angst coming from all sides.”
Expert explains how Doria Ragland’s ‘‘off-camera’ moment’ in the Netflix doc suggested no ‘acting’
Just before director Liz Garbus began interviewing Meghan’s mom was particularly telling, according to James. The ‘off-camera’ moment, showing her prepping as they set up” contrasted others’ “acting.”
“This is revealing as we see little if any change between this Doria and the Doria we see once the interview starts,” she said before adding “Many celebs ‘mask’ when the cameras start rolling.”
Although that’s not the case with Meghan’s mom. “The Doria we see in front of the cameras seems to be the same as the one off-camera, with this authenticity creating some powerful and compelling charisma,” James explained.
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There were, however, “signs of bracing herself” as Ragland’s interview got underway. They quickly disappeared when Meghan’s mom introduced herself. Additionally, she didn’t give of a “real sense of self-pity from her body language” as she said, “the last five years have been challenging.”
Meghan Markle’s mom balanced being ‘friendly’ and ‘open’ with ‘no fear’, expert says
James continued, saying Meghan’s mom managed a tricky balance with her body language in Harry & Meghan.
“For Doria, there’s a sense of fairness about her body language here that’d imply she could register loyalty, but avoid upsetting or angering anyone,” the expert said. “She’s clearly a loyal mother but in a way that any of the royals should recognize and empathize with.”
Ragland’s Harry & Meghan interview included discussions on being hounded by the press and drama with her ex-husband and Meghan’s father, Thomas Markle.
“In the first three Netflix episodes, Doria talks about events and describes her emotional responses verbally but also assertively, without over-acting her emotions as many others do in this series,” James continued.
The expert also noted “sadness at what’s happened” as Ragland’s “most frequently-displayed emotion” in her Harry & Meghan interview, “which is probably an emotion shared by viewers on both sides of the Atlantic.”
“Hopefully, Meghan will learn so things don’t hurt so much in the future and she can relax and enjoy her life with Harry,” James concluded.
Showbiz Cheat Sheet acknowledges conditions and cultures can impact body language and is sensitive to all backgrounds.
