Meghan Markle’s bold move during Prince Harry’s speech marks a telling shift – expert

Meghan Markle made a noticeable change that sent a clear message as Prince Harry accepted a controversial award, according to an expert.

The Duchess of Sussex accompanied her husband at a ceremony in Los Angeles, where he received the Pat Tillman Award for Service, awarded by sports channel ESPN to individuals in the sporting world who have made significant contributions to the lives of others. The duke was recognised for founding the Invictus Games a decade ago to support injured and sick servicemen and women – both on active duty and veterans – who are navigating physical and invisible injuries.

At the event, Meghan was seen posing with her husband for photographers as well as with her friend Serena Williams, who hosted the glitzy event. But body language expert Darren Stanton believes there was something different about the Duchess at last night’s ceremony. He said: “Meghan was there to support Harry and you could tell she felt very happy to be there. On some occasions, we will see signs of Meghan trying to assert her presence and taking the lead during joint engagements.

“But during this event, it was all about Harry and Meghan wanted it to be that way. We saw her taking a step back and letting Harry take everything in with her support by his side. We know she was taking a backseat as her facial expressions showed genuine joy for her husband while displaying subtle, authentic and consistent smiles – without any signs of showing dominance.

“Meghan often takes a dominant lead in the engagements she attends with Harry, but she wanted her husband to be in control. It was her way of saying, ‘This is Harry’s night’ Meghan wanted Harry to feel special and be the centre of attention. This was shown through her leaning into him a lot and gazing into his eyes.

“It reveals Meghan feels safe and loved while in his company. Harry reciprocated those feelings by adopting the dominant role and wanting to be the authoritative figure. He didn’t shy away from showing Meghan affection either, as he maintained a closeness to Meghan throughout the ceremony. Meghan felt a huge sense of pride, respect and compassion for all Harry has done. She still sees Harry as the love of her life and is happy to be by his side in these special moments.”

The award Harry received – the Pat Tillman Award for Service – is named after former NFL player and US Army Ranger Pat Tillman, who was killed in Afghanistan in 2004. Harry opened his acceptance speech by acknowledging the family of Mr Tillman, “especially Mrs Mary Tillman – Pat’s mother”, which comes after she had reportedly expressed her disapproval of his selection for the award.

“Her advocacy for Pat’s legacy is deeply personal, and one that I respect,” he said. “The bond between a mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses.” It comes ahead of the anniversary of the death of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.