31 July 2023 , 20:34
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Meghan Markle adopted a nervous gesture from Kate Middleton when she and Prince Harry attended their first royal engagement as a married couple, a body language expert has said.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex postponed their honeymoon and attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace to celebrate Prince Charles' 70th birthday on May 22, 2018. Meghan was wearing a £590 'Flavia' nude shift dress from Goat along with the nude tights and pumps so favoured by sister-in-law Catherine.
Author and body language expert Judi James said that similarly to Prince William's wife, Meghan was carrying her clutch "as a small body barrier". Ms James told The Mirror the bag's position could be "strategic" and aimed at avoiding too much attention at the tummy area, as after getting married people often get asked when they will have a baby.
Meghan holding her clutch bag next to her body (PA)
Harry and Meghan attended the party days after their wedding (PA)The expert said: "There's an air of grown-up elegance and glamour about Meghan's Audrey Hepburn-chic outfit and although she's teamed it with some perfectly poised and rather high-status body language as she walks with Harry it's also great to see the more accessible, down-to-earth-giggly and undeniably happy version of the new HRH is still very much on display too.
"With her head shaded by her large, angled hat she holds Harry's arm for balance as she descends the stairs in her heeled court shoes. The clutch bag was a favourite of Kate Middleton's and like Kate she carried it as a small body barrier just below her waist.
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"That clutch bag positioning could be strategic. One annoying and embarrassing trait once you marry is that everyone starts asking when you're going to have a baby and attention does start to focus on the tummy area. Her more demure pose here puts Harry back into the same alpha role that we saw when he danced around his new bride to usher her into the E-type after the wedding ceremony."
Other guests at the party included the Earl of Snowdon, Grand Duke and Duchess of Luxembourg, Lady Helen Taylor and Santa Montefiore, Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall. Newlywed Princess Eugenie, who wore an emerald green dress for the occasion and her husband Jack Brooksbank, were also in attendance.
But, on the night, it was Prince Edward who appeared to be the biggest talking point. According to the Daily Mail, Prince Edward, who called himself "the Magical Bisector", apparently sawed nephew Peter Phillips - the son of Princess Anne and her first husband Captain Mark Phillips - in half. Edward, armed with a hand saw, got on stage to perform the old classic illusion for guests.
The newspaper also reported that no one danced more enthusiastically in the Palace ballroom than Charles and wife Camilla. Musical entertainment on the night was provided by Jools Holland, singer and actor Gary Wilmot, tenor and actor Alfie Boe, and US soprano Renee Fleming.