Body Language Expert Spots Key Sign Harry ‘Thrives’ Without Meghan: ‘He Might Have…’
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are always like two peas in a pod during public appearances together. So, it came as a surprise when the Duke of Sussex attended the Invictus Games closing ceremony sans his better half. Analyzing footage from his speech, body language expert Judi James noted that Harry seemed more confident and open without Markle being present to cheer him on.
The Duke of Sussex held back his tears as he delivered his bold speech at the closing ceremony. He paid a poignant tribute to the Invictus athletes, as well as service men and women who lost their lives to suicide. Reflecting on his speech, James told the Mirror, “Meghan is a formidably strong and confident speaker, and this could easily be intimidating for Harry, who must in the past have felt pressure to match her performances.” The expert added, “It's always easier to get out on stage after another speaker's weak or stumbling performance, but that's never going to be an option for Harry when Meghan's in town.”
James compared the Duke’s opening speech, when Markle was present, to his closing speech without her. She said of the former, “It was a rather alpha form of delivery as he paced the stage with his heels banging down and his head performing 'lighthouse' gazes into the audience.” The expert opined that without Markle’s ‘pressure’, Harry seemed more emotionally open without the need to depict himself in a strong leadership role. She explained, “He might have felt less pressure to perform to a certain professional standard, but his body movements and his facial expressions changed quite dramatically at times.”
"Beyond any differences, here at the Invictus Games we are grounded in mutual respect, competing fiercely, but believing in one another. Supporting one another. And rooting for one another."
— Invictus Games Foundation ?? (@WeAreInvictus) February 9, 2025
Listen to our Patron, The Duke of Sussex's full speech from the Opening Ceremony of the… pic.twitter.com/Wd3li3bnFi
The body language expert believed the Duke was able to let his guard down more without the pressure of his wife watching him in person. She explained, “Many people find it hard to deliver a speech or a performance with a close partner or parent in the audience as they and their responses and evaluations can become uppermost in the mind when you should just be creating empathy and rapport with your wider audience.” It was reported that Markle had flown back to California just a few days before the closing ceremony. Watching from California, the Duchess took to Instagram to celebrate her husband's powerful speech. She shared a clip of the event and penned, “So proud of you,” with the applause emoji.
The #InvictusGames officially starts in @WhistlerBlckcmb ?
— BFBS Forces News (@ForcesNews) February 11, 2025
Prince Harry and Meghan appear on stage to thank competitors and supporters #InvictusGames #IG25 pic.twitter.com/os5LutUx0d
Harry is the founder of the Invictus Games, an international multi-sport event. It is held every year for the wounded, sick, and injured military service personnel, both serving and veterans. As per People magazine, Harry acknowledged in his closing speech that the Invictus community was together once more, a decade after its inaugural launch, “in a world still full of strife and trauma.” He signed off his speech by saying, “And so long as the challenges around us demand it and require it…the Games will go on.”