Here’s why Prince Harry didn’t want to hold hands with Meghan Markle
And there’s actually a genuine reason
And there’s actually a genuine reason
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are undoubtedly the world’s most closely-watched couple, with people across the globe arguably paying more attention to the royal relationship than their own.
Every element of their body language is analysed - something that was brought to attention last week as Prince Harry was seen batting his wife Meghan’s hand away when she went to reach out for it.
The now Duke and Duchess of Sussex were accompanying the Queen at the Young Leaders Reception at Buckingham Palace when Harry allegedly pulled his hand away from Meghan when she tried to reach for it.
But it wasn’t a lack of affection that led the prince to withdraw his hand, instead it was probably tradition, with royal family members rarely engaging in public displays of affection.
In fact the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge avoid hand holding altogether, following after the Queen and Prince Philip, who despite being married for almost 70 years, are rarely seen holding hands - a personal choice that has set a precedent for the rest of the royal family.
‘Hegan’ fans were surprised by the recent shunning of PDA by the prince, as it’s usually something that the newlyweds have embraced, but now that they are both royals and attending the event in an official capacity, they might have to cool down the public displays of affection.
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Besides, the Queen’s attendance at the event with them probably meant they had to be on best behaviour.
Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. She has worked at Marie Claire UK for seven years, rising from intern to Features Editor and is now the most published Marie Claire writer of all time. She was made a 30 under 30 award-winner last year and named a rising star in journalism by the Professional Publishers Association.