What Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton’s recent body language says about their royal ‘feud’

12 March 2019, 13:21

Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Prince William and Kate Middleton attend the Commonwealth Day Service
Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, Prince William and Kate Middleton attend the Commonwealth Day Service. Picture: PA
Alice Dear

By Alice Dear

Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton both attended the Commonwealth Day Service with the royal family this week.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry arrived at Westminster Abbey first, followed by Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Meghan and Kate, who have been at the centre of feud speculation for months now, interacted while inside the venue, greeting each other with a kiss on the cheek.

For the ceremony, Meghan sat directly behind Kate Middleton, who was on the front row with her husband, Prince Charles, Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall and the Queen.

But what does the latest interactions between the two Duchesses tell us about their friendship, or their “royal feud”?

Heart.co.uk spoke to body language Judi James, who revealed this meeting produced some of the "least forced body language" of friendship between Kate and Meghan.

Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton greet each other with a kiss
Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton greet each other with a kiss. Picture: PA
Kate Middleton stood ahead of Meghan Markle during the service
Kate Middleton stood ahead of Meghan Markle during the service. Picture: PA

“Their appearance together with their husbands yesterday did produce some of the most congruent and least forced body language signals of friendship from Kate and Meghan since they appeared together at Wimbledon last July”, Judi explained.

She continued to note there was even something of “the old spark of fun” we used to see from the four royals.

Speaking about their kiss greeting, Judi said: “Kate did look like the instigator of the kiss between herself and her sister-in-law, leaning forward and touching Meghan on her upper arm.

“But it was Meghan who we saw display the widest smile in response and who also seemed to be producing the fun reactions in the ‘fab four’ line-up, leaning right round and across the two men to chat to Kate in a very animated way.”

Judi explained how Meghan and Kate both spoke with their hands raised which suggests they were very keen to get into conversation.

Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton looked to be on good terms
Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton looked to be on good terms. Picture: PA

During the double cheek kiss, Meghan responded to Kate’s arm touch by bringing her own hand up in a “reciprocal gesture”.

“There was a very slight lingering of the touch to suggest genuine pleasure at the meet-up”, Judi says.

The body language expert finished by commenting: “Baby steps maybe, but subtlety does tend to suggest congruence more than over-performed rituals.”

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