Meghan Markle appeared to be ‘lost’ without Prince Harry during her solo appearance on the red carpet yesterday evening, according to a body language expert.
The Duchess of Sussex, who was at the event without her husband, revealed she was ‘happy to be there to support’ LA Children’s Hospital at the gala.
The 43-year-old, who stepped out in a scarlet Carolina Herrera gown she wore previously in 2021, looked effortlessly chic with some beachy waves.
She was joined on the carpet by Kelly McKee Zajfen, the co-founder for the Alliance of Moms, an LA ‘community of philanthropists who support pregnant and parenting teens in LA’s foster care system.’
The Duke and Duchess have made a series of separate plans, including Harry’s solo trips to London and Lesotho in recent weeks.
According to Judi James, a body language expert, Meghan gave off a ‘shy’ and ‘coy’ vibe at the event when she was snapped solo at the event yesterday evening
But according to Judi James, a body language expert, Meghan gave off a ‘shy’ and ‘coy’ vibe at the event when she was snapped solo at the event.
She told FEMAIL: ‘For a confident woman who is used to cameras and red carpets she acts grateful to see and join her friend here. The body language ritual that she follows seems to be deliberate signalling of her current state as Harry is off on his solo tour.
‘Meghan performs signals of coyness and even shyness plus a subliminal desire to have someone take over the lead from Harry, as though she is somehow lost without him on the red carpet or wanting to suggest she is feeling more vulnerable and girlishly playful than usual.’
Meghan was filmed appearing to nervously twiddle her fingers as she walked along the red carpet, with photographers shouting her name.
But as she approached the end, ready to move on, a woman dressed in black directed her towards Kelly, as she rushed to greet her friend, publicly.
One photographer can be heard saying: ‘Ladies, can we start you at the beginning please?’
The former senior working royal was seen holding her friend’s hand and seemingly wanted to step away from the cameras as soon as she could.
At one point, someone could be heard saying: ‘Ladies, together.’ While another shouted: ‘Can we get all the smiles?’
The mother-of-two then stepped back towards Kelly and ‘shyly’ leaned in towards her while beaming for the cameras.
The former senior working royal was seen holding her Kelly McKee Zajfen’s hand and seemingly wanted to step away from the cameras as soon as she could
Meghan Markle appeared to be ‘lost’ without Prince Harry during her solo appearance on the red carpet yesterday evening, according to a body language expert
Meghan then greeted Paul Viviano, a health care leader and a national children’s health care advocate
The Duchess of Sussex, 43, was at the event in without her husband Prince Harry on Saturday, revealed she was ‘happy to be there to support’ LA Children’s Hospital
Judi said: ‘Meghan places her hand under her friend’s hand in the clasp here, which signifies letting the other person take the lead. She then pulls her friend’s arm in front of her own torso like a protective barrier as though she’s feeling shy in front of the press.’
‘She then adopts a more coyly shy look, almost swinging from her friend’s hand like a small child.
‘She moves behind her friend, again in a simulation of shyness or coyness, pushing their heads close so they can smile and giggle together like teenagers. She even gets an “Aw!” from the photographers.
‘Even as Meghan walks away from the pose she lifts her right shoulder to smile over it at the camera in another signal of sweetness and coyness.’
Meghan then greeted Paul Viviano, a health care leader and a national children’s health care advocate, giving him a warm hug after posing with Kelly.
She could be heard saying: ‘Of course, it’s my pleasure,’ before gesturing that they should have some photos taken together, stepping back into the limelight.
However, she was guided by snappers and told to stay put, as the duo smiled with their wrapped arms around each other.
Judi added: ‘Hugging Paul Viviano she performs an elongated, affectionate, friends hug that involves conversation as he seems to whisper into her ear.
‘She makes an attempt to lead by directing them further up the red carpet but her expression remains amiable when she is told by the press to remain where she is.’
The Duchess appeared to venture more into her boho California side with her appearance at the gala yesterday evening.
Meghan – who shares Archie, five, and Lilibet, three, with the Duke of Sussex, said that ‘the staff is incredible’
Meghan Markle has spoken about being mother as she praised a children’s hospital during a gala in Los Angeles last night
Although she typically opts for sleek, straightened variants or very structured waves, she appeared to go all natural with not just her hair but minimal lashings of lip-gloss and mascara, letting her complexion shine.
She previously wore her eye-catching red frock at a 2021 gala in New York City to celebrate the military on the eve of Veterans Day in the US and Armistice Day in Britain.
But Judi believes she has given the gown a complete ‘Hollywood’ makeover, adding that she looks more like a starlet than the wife of Prince.
‘Meghan’s solo appearance here looks laden with non-verbal signals and messages. Her statement red dress is a bold show-stopper that has already done one run down the red carpet but, pairing with Harry back 2021, Meghan presented it as a regal look, teamed with sleek, up-swept hair and dazzling diamonds as the train attached to it fanned out and along behind her.
‘Here though she has given the same dress a completely different look. Minus the train the dress has a much sleeker, simpler, sexier impact as the focus is on the neckline and hemline.
‘Her hair is now rippling down over her shoulders and her posture is more Hollywood starlet than wife of a Prince.
‘Posing for the photographers now her back is slightly arched, pushing her chest forward to make more sense of the plunging neckline, whereas her previous royal look was more demure and upright.
The Duchess caught all eyes last night as she re-wore a red Carolina Herrera gown to the LA Children’s Hospital gala
Meghan (pictured), enjoying chatting with her friend Kelly McKee at last night’s event in downtown Los Angeles
‘Her head tilts as she poses here are a signal of a desire to be likable and she looks very amenable to the press, taking guidance and requests from them with a keen smile.’
Meghan greeted the young fans before preparing for a star-studded night featuring a performance by Demi Lovato and appearances by presenters Kaley Cuoco, Jamie Lee Curtis and Colin Hanks.
Meghan was heard saying: ‘The work that they do otherworldly,’ speaking about the LA Children’s Hospital.
‘And I think from my standpoint as a mother no one wants to be in a position where you need to go to a place like this – but if you have to, the best place in the world you could go would be Children’s Hospital LA.
‘And I have close friends who still have their children there going through treatments either from high school, close mom friends now that are having their children.’
Meghan and Kelly held hands as they posed for photos at the children’s event last night, in Los Angeles
Meghan – who shares Archie, five, and Lilibet, three, with the Duke of Sussex, said that ‘the staff is incredible’.
She added: ‘The amount of work that they do for families that could really not afford this level of care is something that I think should never be overlooked’.
Elsewhere at the event, she enjoyed a sweet moment as she told a young boy ‘it’s past your bedtime’.
Footage shows the Duchess greeting a family at last night’s event before joking to a little boy about being up so late.
‘It’s past your bedtime for sure,’ Megan said as she addressed the child, who was being held by his mother.
She added: ‘How old are they? Oh so really close to our kids. Three and five.’
Meghan has often spoken about her experiences with motherhood.
In May, she said she fulfilled her dream of becoming a parent as she opened up about her ‘very chatty, sweet children’ during the second day of her Nigerian tour with Harry.
The Duchess was speaking at a Women in Leadership event she was co-hosting with Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General of the World Trade Organisation.
Meghan told the audience how much she loves being a mother but admitted that balancing her family and her career posed its own set of challenges.
Meghan pictured smiling with Mr Viviano, CHLA President, at the children’s gala on Saturday night
Meghan spent yesterday evening greeting young fans as she attended the event in downtown Los Angeles
The duchess went stag to the event at LA Live’s event deck in downtown Los Angeles as her husband, Prince Harry, spent the night of his 40th birthday hiking with some friends
The couple have made a series of separate plans, including Harry’s solo trips to London and Lesotho in recent weeks
During the talk, Meghan was asked how she juggled being a mother with her career and she replied: ‘I love being a mum.’
Despite being told more than ten years ago by her friend and mentor that she would never be able to balance the demands of motherhood and her work, the duchess said she enjoys being a mother and her priorities are constantly changing.
During the panel discussion, Meghan said that ‘balance’ in her life has changed over the years and looks different to ten years ago before she was married and had Archie and Lilibet.
She said: ‘What I think that to mean now is that that balance will always change for you. That balance, what seems balanced ten years ago is going to shift.’
Meghan’s appearance alone on Saturday comes after Harry has appeared at ten solo engagements in the last 15 days without his wife as he embarked on a ‘quasi-royal tour’ across three countries, including New York, London and Lesotho.
It has also been reported that Meghan wasn’t able to make it to a charity event she was set to attend with Prince Harry because she was ‘sick.’
