At one time Prince Harry seemed to have a wonderful relationship with his sister-in-law, the Princess of Wales (formerly Kate Middleton), and his brother, Prince William. Or at least that’s what we all thought. But years before Harry’s feud with his family became public knowledge, he showed signs of “vulnerability” in a video with Will and Kate that one body language expert has called “upsetting.”
The trio participated in a video for their Heads Together campaign
Back in 2016, the princes and Kate launched their Heads Together campaign. They released a video to promote the launch in which the three of them sat on a park bench and discussed their own struggles with grief and mental health.
At the time Prince Harry was not yet married to his wife, Meghan Markle, and did not have children but spoke about the importance of a good family unit saying: “If you can have a family environment where you can talk openly about your issues, that makes a better family, better preparation, working better at your job, doing better at school, it just goes on and on and on.”
Body language expert Judi James talked to Express about some of the observations she saw from the Duke of Sussex that may have foreshadowed his current rift with his family.
“This video from 2017 should be required viewing for everyone taking sides over the fraternal rift and Harry’s subsequent claims in Spare,” James said. “There are no signs that William, Kate, and Harry are acting or pretending here beyond the fact that they are aware they are being filmed. There is so much that is still raw in their body language and they are opening up to help others with mental illness to do the same, so it is important for their message that they are authentic.”
Body language expert observes Harry making an ‘animal gesture’ and ‘submissive pose’
What James found “upsetting” is some of the gestures and signals she saw Prince Harry make during the video.
She explained: “Although all three are airing their personal experiences to help others do the same, it’s Harry whose body language looks upsettingly vulnerable. Hunched over the table in a submissive pose, he sits with his fist to his mouth, nodding as Kate speaks. When he says ‘Everybody else’s life is perfect, there must be something wrong with me’ his eye expression as he looks at William appears to be one of silent pleading.”
Judi added that “At one point when he and William are referred to over their mother’s death, Harry’s body language response is dramatic. He sucks his lips in with the corners of his mouth pulled down and pushes his chin out in an almost animal gesture of grief.”
After marrying Harry, Meghan also became a patron of the charity. But in 2019, the Sussexes made the decision to create their own royal household separate from William and Kate’s. At the time it was thought that they would still work on future projects together.
Showbiz Cheat Sheet acknowledges conditions and cultures can impact body language and is sensitive to all backgrounds.
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