Meghan combined ‘stardom and royalty’ to take the lead over Harry in Nigeria, says body language expert
PRINCE Harry and Meghan Markle are currently on their “faux Royal” tour of Nigeria.
And while it might be a joint undertaking it is Meg who is taking the lead according to our body language expert.
The Sussexes are on their final day of their tour of the African nation – having visited a warzone, played volleyball and even stood up for God Save The King.
And body language expert Judi James says that the Duchess of Sussex has been combining her experience of both celebrity and royalty defining her as ‘a host’ throughout the tour.
Speaking to The Sun, Judi explains: “Meghan unfurls into a body language state here that defines her as a host and a leader at this event.
“Her arrival body language in Nigeria did put Harry in a slightly more ‘leading man’ role, but it was still Meghan excelling at the stardust-strewn waves, smiles and touch rituals like this sweet over-the-one-hunched-shoulder red carpet-style wave and self-diminishing shrug.”
On Saturday, Meghan left Harry behind to co-host an event of Women in Leadership where, Judi claims, she slips back into her royal gestures.
“At the leadership event though she appears solo and in fully gracious, regal-looking form,” she says.
“Straight-backed and with her shoulders and arms held back she glides into the room with a much more elegant, Duchess-like social smile.
“When she poses for photos it is her arm around the other guest’s shoulders as she turns to face-check, chatting while showing high levels of confidence.
“She is more tempered here though, steering others and indicating with one hand for another guest to sit, she even performs a less tactile greeting ritual on her stage host, holding out one arm in an initiating announcement gesture before leaning in for a cheek kiss, but turning her head and keeping a slight gap between them as they kiss to take the lead in terms of making it a more formal ritual.
“The leadership event is the perfect audience for Meghan and signals of confidence ooze from her here as she clutches the mic with her shoulders angles and a wide, beaming, symmetric smile of genuine pleasure.”
The Sussexes are on the third of a three day “faux Royal” tour of the African nation – having visited a warzone, played volleyball and even stood up for God Save The King.
Speaking at the even in the capital Abuja on Saturday, Meghan said: “I want to start by saying thank you very much for just how gracious you’ve all been in welcoming my husband and I to this country… my country.
“I am just flattered and honored and inspired. It has been a whirlwind 24 hours since we arrived.
“And I very quickly got the memo that I need to wear more colour, so I can fit in with all of you and your incredible fashion.”
Meghan has spoken about her love of “beige” in past interviews, telling a 2022 Netflix documentary: “When I was in the UK I rarely wore colour.
“I wore a lot of muted tones… I also wore it so I could just blend in.”
The Duchess of Sussex recently discovered she was 43 percent Nigerian, according to a genealogy test.
After finding out her ancestry, she said she rang her mum “because I wanted to know if she had any awareness of it”.
She said the discovery was “exciting for both of us” because being African-American “is really not knowing so much about your lineage or background, where you come from specifically”.
The 42-year-old explained: “It’s been really eye-opening and humbling to be able to know more about my heritage and to be able to know this is just the beginning of that discovery.”
It comes as pals revealed Harry made a request to King Charles to stay at a Royal residence while in the UK this week.
The King is understood to have agreed to put Harry up during his three-day visit to London on Tuesday to promote the Invictus Games.
But for unknown reasons, the Duke of Sussex ended up staying in a hotel, and the missed opportunity to see his dad “deeply stung”.
A friend told The Sunday Times: “It surprises me a lot. I was fully expecting them to meet.
“I know that’s what he wanted to happen and I don’t know when he’s next back.”
Staying in a royal residence would have made seeing the King logistically easier for Harry – who were less than 3 miles away from each other on Wednesday.
Meghan & Harry's links to Africa
Harry has had a long relationship with Africa, even taking his now-wife Meghan to Botswana for a camping trip as one of their early dates.
Meghan is said to want to “explore her ancestry and lineage” while thereafter revealing she was “43% Nigerian”.
In 2019 the couple embarked on a tour of southern Africa.
The Duchess of Sussex flew with baby Archie to Johannesburg where they were later joined by Harry after he visited Malawi.
During the time apart Meghan told journalists she was struggling to cope with them being apart.
The Duke has also established a charity to help African orphans, Sentebale, with Prince Seeiso from Lesotho.
The Sussexes touched down in the capital Abuja on Friday morning to promote the 2025 Invictus Games in Vancouver, Canada.
The event – which sees injured servicemen and women compete in a range of athletics events – was founded by Prince Harry and is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.
The Sussexes began their “faux-Royal tour” with a visit to Lightway Academy, a primary and secondary school in the capital.
On Saturday, Harry showed off his competitive side at an Invictus Games sitting volleyball event – just days after Prince William also tried his hand at the sport.
At a charity event that night, Harry and Meghan were pictured standing for God Save The King.
It came as the pair visited Nigeria’s defence HQ on Friday to meet military wives and senior officials.
Harry was gifted a portrait of his mother Princess Diana by the Nigerian government, as well as a painted picture from his 2018 wedding to Meghan.
He later visited a military hospital in war torn Kaduna, around 200km north of Abuja.
The region has seen horrific fighting between nomadic Fulani herdsman and farmers, as well as an insurgency by Boko Haram Islamists.
While at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, the Duke shook hands with around 50 wounded soldiers and asked one bed-ridden hero if he’d named his prosthetic leg.
While holding the hand of another man, Harry asked: “Are they helping you? Are you feeling better?”
The 39-year-old was given a “big gown” and hula cap as a going home present from Kaduna governor Uba Sani.
The Duke and Duchess were welcomed to Lagos, Nigeria early on Sunday as they began their third day of their visit.
Harry and Meghan, in a Caroline Herrera button down and a Nigerian skirt gifted to her, arrived to a typically noisy and acrobatic dance performance.
One move even saw a young boy being thrown between two dancers. The couple gasped and clapped as the dancers were hoisted up and created human towers.
After arriving at Lagos airport from Abuja they headed to a city school to take part in an event with non-profit Giants of Africa.
