Have you ever wondered what Prince Harry or his fiancee Meghan Markle are thinking?
Only they know for sure, but that doesnât mean we canât glean clues by studying their body language.
Hereâs a look at what two experts who specialize in nonverbal cues see in the royal coupleâs physical gestures.
Theyâre deeply in love
Blanca Cobb, a psychologist, says itâs clear from the coupleâs constant touching that theyâre deeply in love.
âYou tend to touch somebody you love, who you feel emotionally connected with,â she says. âItâs very natural to do that--and they do that a lot,â she said in a telephone interview with CTVNews.ca from where North Carolina.
Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, with Prince Harry, left, and his fiancee Meghan Markle, third left, attend the first annual Royal Foundation Forum in London, Wednesday Feb. 28, 2018. (Chris Jackson/Pool via AP)
Denver-based body language trainer Traci Brown agrees.
âWe donât see a big shift between them from day-to-day,â she says.
Thatâs in contrast to some couples that Brown has analyzed, like Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, who appear more on-again-off-again, she says.
âWe see them totally on the same team,â Brown says.
Cobb stresses that although theyâre more physical than the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, that doesnât mean Prince William and Kate Middleton arenât also âcrazy about each other.â
âThey show it in the smiles, and they will get physically close to each other but not touch,â Cobb says.
The difference is likely cultural, according to Cobb. Markle is from the United States where public displays of affection are more accepted. Middleton is from the United Kingdom, where people are more reserved, Cobb says.
Harry wants the photographers to back off
Some royal watchers have noticed that Prince Harry is often seen with his arm bent at the elbow and his forearm across his stomach, sometimes with fingers tucked in between the buttons of his jacket.
Brown calls this âjust his little protection habit. Thatâs him putting a barrier between himself and, usually, photographers,â she says.
âWhen people feel threatened, theyâll guard the solar plexus area,â she explains.
Cobb says sheâs seen Prince Harry with his arm bent like that so many times that it may just be his âgo-to move.â
But she agrees that protection is also a plausible explanation, especially considering that it seems to happen in situations where there are a lot of cameras clicking.
âWhen you cover your midsection that way, it can be perceived as a psychological blocking or distance from something that youâre not comfortable with,â Cobb says. âYouâre protecting your vital organs.â
âEven if youâre born in front of cameras, which Prince Harry was, it still can be too much sometimes,â Cobb says.
Cobb says itâs important to pay attention to the context to accurately assess body language.
When the prince is in less stuffy situations where there arenât as many photographers around, he appears to show more confidence, she says.
One example is from February 2017, when Harry was hanging out with rugby players. The photos show four fingers in his pocket but his thumb exposed.
âWhen your thumb is exposed, itâs a sign of confidence ⌠and feeling strong,â Cobb says.
Markle isnât always comfortable in her new role
Markle is often photographed with her hand on or near her neck.
In this Thursday Jan. 18, 2018 file photo, Prince Harry talks to Meghan Markle as they watch a dance performance by Jukebox Collective in the banqueting hall during a visit to Cardiff Castle, Wales. (Ben Birchall/Pool via AP)
Cobb explains that Markleâs tendency to reach for her neck is likely a sign of discomfort.
âWhen youâre nervous, youâre uncomfortable, a little anxious about something, thatâs what women typically do,â Cobb says. âIf sheâs wearing a necklace, she might move fiddle with the charm or move the clasp (of necklace) to the back of her neck.â
âIt could be that this is a new role, people are looking at her differently than when she was an actor walking the red carpet,â she adds.
Thatâs why itâs so important that Meghan has Harry to lean on, according to Cobb.
âWhen (Markle) is out with Prince Harry, he will put his hand on her back as sheâs engaging with the crowd,â she says. âThatâs his way of saying, âHoney youâre doing great, I got you.â
