Prince Harry, fifth in line to the succession, appeared losing his cool and flying into passion when he was quizzed on his wife Meghan Markle’s concerns over ‘racism’ in the royal family.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, during an interview that was watched by almost 50 million people, sparked anger when they alleged an unnamed member of the royal family of making racial comments about their son’s skin color.
However, Harry later made a U-turn on the initial allegations and denied that he or his wife had ever accused his family of racism. Instead, he distinguished explicit racism and unconscious bias.
The Duke seemed to be “openly irritated” when he was asked about allegations, according to a body language expert, told Time Magazine.
Harry, while speaking to ITV’s Tom Brady, appeared to defend his royal relatives as he said that having grown up in the House of Windsor, he would accuse his family of unconscious bias, but not of being racist.
Prince William’s younger brother also tried to justify his wife Meghan’s claims, as he noted that once a bias is challenged and pointed out – if the behavior in question continues then it could be defined as racist.
“Prince Harry’s body language during this brief section of the interview signals emphatic firmness and some open irritation,” body language expert Judi James told The Mirror.
The expert, while sharing her analysis of Harry’s reaction to the question, explained: “His response is instantaneous and unequivocal, suggesting this is a claim he has heard before and planned to answer. He doesn’t even wait for the full question, his head begins to shake in denial as the first two letters of the word ‘racism’ are out of the interviewer’s mouth.”
Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet’s father, according to Judi, wanted to move on from the topic: “He sustains eye contact and performs an emphatic mouth clamp with the lips pulled down at the corners as though implying ‘end of.’ He then adds a verbal ‘no’ and his expression changes to a smug-looking, mirthless smile that implies clever, superior thinking or points in a debate.”
“‘It was the British press that said that’ what he seems to see as his chef’s kiss and he performs a long, cut-off blink and mouth clamp.” She then said, “he seemed to get even angrier as his wife was mentioned.”
To strengthen her opinion, Judi went on explaining the Duke’s gestures as she said: “Harry’s head juts to the left as he asks ‘Did Meghan ever mention about the racist/s/ism?’ His blink rate increases in what looks like irritation or anger.”
