Meghan Markle appeared unusually ‘tense and nervous’ during a poignant memorial ceremony in Switzerland on Sunday, according to a body language expert.Â
The Duchess of Sussex embraced grieving parents who had lost their children to online harm and delivered a powerful speech about the importance of digital safety ahead of the 79th World Health Organisation (WHO) assembly.
But when Meghan, 44, first arrived at the Lost Screen Memorial, her non-verbal cues suggested ‘tension, trepidation and even some uncharacteristic nervousness’, according to body language expert Judi James.
Analysing video footage of Meghan at the event, Ms James told the Daily Mail: ‘She will normally greet hosts or PRs effusively but here she appears to be tense and a little needy, turning her head to exchange a few words as what looks like an act of checking or distraction to break the simple walk to the lectern.
‘We can see signs of jaw tension preventing any royal-style arrival smiles. Her speech is clearly a serious one, but her arrivals are still usually more high profile celebrity or regal in style.’
Ms James noted that when one well-wisher shouted “Hi Meghan” from the crowd, the Duchess made a brief turn of the head to respond, but lacked eye contact or her usual ‘baby waves’ to acknowledge an eager fan.
‘The small smile is retained but she looks down quickly and the smile drops again as the jaw tension returns,’ added Ms James.
‘It is rare to see Meghan looking nervous. This is a woman who walked up the aisle alone at her own wedding without one trace of nerves.’
Meghan Markle appeared unusually ‘tense and nervous’ as she stepped out for a memorial ceremony in Switzerland on Sunday, according to body language expert Judi James
When Meghan, 44, first arrived at the Lost Screen Memorial, her non-verbal cues suggested ‘tension, trepidation and even some uncharacteristic nervousness’, according to body language expert Judi JamesÂ
Dressed in a sleek black suit and with her hair in a bun, Meghan addressed leaders, ministers and families affected by online harm and described the online safety of children as a ‘public health issue’ as she called on global leaders to enact change.Â
But throughout her speech, Ms James suggested there was a ‘powerful sense she has dropped the royal trappings and gracious behaviours and pared right back to produce a very “unplugged” solo appearance as herself’.Â
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She added that Meghan’s simple suit paired with a lack of elaborate jewellery and ‘showboating on arrival’ suggests that the royal has ‘somehow gone back to basics’.Â
‘There is no husband to coo over and clutch hands with and her adoring crowds are not apparent here.’
Noting a seemingly deliberate move to ‘ditch’ her usual demeanour and ‘global celebrity’ image, Ms James added that Meghan made ‘no coy mentions of her husband or her children’.Â
‘People will always turn out to see and listen to the Duchess; the wife of Prince Harry, and the global celebrity but here she seems to be trialing herself as herself, a powerful inspirational speaker in her own right.’
The ceremony marked the opening of the Lost Screen Memorial, and ran ahead of the 79th annual WHO assembly. The installation features a poignant tribute to 50 children who died as a result of digital harm.
After delivering a speech, Meghan mingled with members of the crowd, which included bereaved families, with photos showing her hugging several visibly emotional attendees.
Meghan also posed for selfies with fans, and accepted gifts from children who had been watching.
Ms James told The Daily Mail: ‘Here she appears to be tense and a little needy, turning her head to exchange a few words as what looks like an act of checking or distraction to break the simple walk to the lectern’Â
Dressed in a sleek back suit and with her hair in a bun, Meghan addressed leaders, ministers and families affected by online harm and described the online safety of children as a ‘public health issue’ as she called on global leaders to enact change
Referring to the screens behind her, displaying the lock screens, Meghan said: ‘Not statistics, not avatars, not data points, children.
‘Each name belonged to a child who was loved beyond measure. A child whose laughter once filled a kitchen, whose shoes once waited by a front door, whose future once felt limitless.
‘And now their faces ask the world questions we can no longer avoid.’
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have both advocated for stronger protections for children online.
In April last year, the couple unveiled a memorial in New York City to young people who lost their lives due to the harmful effects of social media and met families who believe social media played a part in the deaths of their youngsters.
Some five months later, Harry warned the impact of social media on children is ‘one of the most pressing issues of our time’, as he spoke at a gala in New York.
At the same event, Meghan said she and her husband often discussed how they would protect their own children, seven-year-old Archie and Lili, four, as they grow older.
After delivering a speech, Meghan mingled with members of the crowd, which included bereaved families, with photos showing her hugging several visibly emotional attendees
During her speech on Sunday, the Duchess said:Â ‘Children today are being shaped by systems designed to capture attention at any cost: relentless algorithms, exploitative engagement, and endless exposure to harmful content that they are not seeking out.’
Meghan said new technologies, such as AI, are ‘not just repeating past mistakes’, but ‘accelerating and amplifying’ them, adding danger now travels globally.
She said: ‘We are seeing new forms of harm emerge faster than our systems are prepared to respond, affecting children at alarming scale and across borders.
‘But these outcomes are not inevitable, and prevention begins with one simple principle: children must be safe by design, not safe by chance.
‘Because danger now travels globally – instantly, invisibly, intimately. And our protections must do the same.’
She called on attendees to ‘speak up’ and ‘demand better from the platforms shaping our children’s lives’.
In preparation for the event, Meghan enlisted her daughter Lilibet to help her select an outfit.
The Duchess on Saturday shared a mirror selfie of herself and her four-year-old on Instagram, with the caption: ‘Mama’s little helper.’
Meghan was wearing an all-pink outfit featuring a statement overcoat, with the Princess sitting at her feet in a red dress. Hanging on the wardrobe was a black suit jacket, which appears to be the one she ultimately chose to wear in Geneva.
Meghan’s office confirmed on Friday she would be attending the ceremony to ‘pay tribute to the children remembered in the installation and underscore the urgent need for stronger global protections for children online’.
It was co-hosted by the WHO and Archewell Philanthropies, the charitable foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, in partnership with The Parents’ Network.
