Prince Harry 'Restless' Except to Talk About Princess Diana at UN: Body Language Expert

Prince Harry 'Restless' Except to Talk About Princess Diana at UN: Body Language Expert

Prince Harry was invited to speak at the United Nations in New York on Monday to mark Nelson Mandela Day.

A quick search of Prince Harry's name on Twitter would reveal that no one thought he was the best person for that particular keynote address.

Darren Stanton, a body language expert, analyzed the Duke of Sussex's behavior at the UN.

"Harry seemed nervous from the start. Not that he is a great public speaker, but he still has great confidence in addressing a large audience. But this did not seem to be the occasion," Stanton told Marie Claire on behalf of Slingo (opens in new tab).

"Harry was drawing signals of stage anxiety and distress indicating that he was a bit overwhelmed by the situation.

"As he spoke, Harry kept biting his lip. This was a gesture of self-confirmation that he does when he is anxious, and he fidgeted with the buttons on his suit jacket."

"At one point, I saw Harry shrug his arms. It's an involuntary movement of the left arm in and out, which tends to reflect when someone is feeling uncomfortable or wants to end a situation as quickly as possible."

[13

While paying tribute to the late anti-apartheid activist Mandela, the Duke made particular reference to the time his late mother, Princess Diana, met Mandela in Cape Town in 1997 (opens in new tab).

"We saw Harry soften as he spoke about his mother, Princess Diana, in his speech," the expert continued. [Princess Diana's death was many years ago, but of course it still has a profound effect on Harry. I could see his love for Diana leaking out, smiling sincerely when he talked about her, remembering her "playfulness" and "cheekiness"

.

Prince Harry was not at his most comfortable during this particular appearance, but Stanton also observed that he felt secure in his wife's presence, which is really sweet.

"Harry arrived at the UN with his wife, Princess Meghan, and as they entered the building, these gestures of self-reassurance were again observed. In addition to holding Meghan's hand, he was also seen adjusting his jacket and tucking his hands under his arms behind his jacket. It is undeniable that Harry is not very comfortable in the spotlight, and he relies on Princess Meghan in these situations," Stanton explains.

"On the other hand, she is used to being in public and is confident in her ability to greet and support Harry. Whereas Meghan smiles and laughs with a big smile, Harry is much more reserved and makes nonverbal gestures that seem awkward or uncomfortable. In these situations, Harry often turns to Meghan and her self-confidence to bolster his own."

"Harry's confidence in Meghan and her confidence in him is a key element of the relationship.

You may also like

Comments

There is no comments