Meghan Markle and Prince Harry showed affection for each other in the subtlest ways at their most recent public appearance.

According to body language expert Judi James, who spoke to The Sun, the Duke of Sussex let the Duchess take the lead at the WellChild Awards earlier this week.

James pointed out a moment where they got out of the car and Harry motioned for his wife to shake hands with an organizer first. “The pause by the pavement edge even appears to show Harry using similar rituals of concern and ‘smoothing the way’ steering as he did when Meghan was pregnant, checking her over the step in her heels with his hands out to support her arm,” James noted.

However, it’s worth noting that this isn’t done in a controlling way. He seems to be acting more passively to encourage, but not force, Meghan to step forward. “There seems to be a little up-scale for Meghan here as Harry appears to break with royal tradition to gesture for her to shake hands first,” James notes.

“Harry appears to prefer the role of host, gesturing with one hand to ensure his wife takes the lead then standing back with his hands clasped in a much more passive pose.”

James believes this plays to Meghan’s strengths. The Duchess also quietly showed her affection for the Duke by gazing at him lovingly throughout the night.

During their African tour last month, James noticed that the couple was quite affectionate, which is not always the case for parents of a newborn. “Meghan’s touch and affection rituals with Harry seem to have increased rather than diminished now they are technically out of the honeymoon phase, while he appears even more openly besotted,” she reported.

Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan will be on their first official tour as a family
Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. AFP/Tolga AKMEN
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