'Clinging together like survivors': Body language expert claims Harry's 'protective' clutch of Meghan's shoulder revealed 'inner tension'

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were 'clinging together as survivors' on their first official engagement since returning to the UK after Megxit, a body language expert has claimed. 

The couple carried out a series of royal-style engagements in Nottingham after meeting members of the public in scenes that looked identical to their walkabout in the city almost a decade ago. 

While Meghan, 45, accepted bouquets from well-wishers and told them 'it's great to be back', Prince Harry, 42, repeatedly placed a protective arm around her as they posed for selfies. 

Despite appearing delighted to be back in Britain after six years in California, body language expert Judi James claimed the prince's clutch of his wife's shoulder also signalled 'inner tension and caution'. 

'At one point he placed an arm around her shoulders in a "protective wing" gesture,' Ms James told the Daily Mail. 

'The non-verbal "tell" here of inner tension and caution came from his fingers, which dug tightly into Meghan's shoulder at neck level, suggesting he felt keen to clutch her and keep her even closer.'

When Meghan reciprocated by placing her arm around his waist, the 'double-cling' made it seem like they were 'clinging together as survivors,' she added. 

She highlighted that Harry and Meghan used body language to project a message of 'joyful return' – but there was also an underlying 'tension from Harry' and 'a desire to protect his wife'. 

Ms James noted the Sussexes' 'wide-open-mouthed smiles of delight' and compared their walkabout to performing for an 'ecstatic audience at the O2 arena'.  

She said: 'There were facial expressions of delighted relief exchanged, with Meghan at one point during her immersive crowd chats beaming at Harry over an armful of bouquets, showing the kind of muscle movement of smile compression around her lower nostril and upper lip that would normally signal "I told you it would all be ok".

'Harry's flattened palm "hail" gesture to the crowd looked designed to appear like an acknowledgement of their acceptance and ongoing love,' Ms James continued. 

But underlying this display of 'bursting back onto the royal scene', there were hints of unease, she suggested. 

Like Harry's 'clutch', there was another similar telling moment as they watched an acting workshop, according to Ms James. 

'As Harry was in full flight, Meghan sat with one arm wrapped around her own torso in a self-embrace while the other hand was raised in a "broken wing" gesture of performed vulnerability with the fingers touching her throat, another common sign of feelings of vulnerability. 

'As she looked at her husband, her eyes had a micro-expression of what looked like fear or worry, implying some less confident leakage among all the displays of their self-defined victorious return,' she concluded. 

A crowd of 100 fans gathered to greet Harry and Meghan during their first joint public appearance since returning to the UK today. 

The duchess beamed as she shook hands and took selfies with fans, including one boy who asked if she lived in a mansion and another who wanted to know whether she had a Bentley.

Today's engagements came after the Sussexes were described as 'private citizens' by the King, who is in Wales with the Queen for an official engagement today.

Nottingham is the city where the couple carried out their first royal walkabout together after announcing their engagement in 2017.

But almost a decade on, Meghan does not see herself as a working royal and is instead more of a 'full-time mum and entrepreneur', a friend has said, adding that public events like this with her husband will be 'rare' for her.

Meghan took bunches of yellow and white flowers from supporters who had waited to see her and Harry this morning.

The couple were given balloons, including one in the shape of a unicorn. The duke stopped to tell one woman he liked her bright pink jacket and that it was 'very nice' to see everyone.

Emily Davis, 21, who gave Meghan a bunch of yellow flowers said it was an honour to meet her.

Ms Davis told the Press Association: 'I gave her flowers, and I shook her hand. I just said, "I've always wanted to meet you. It's an honour".

'She looks amazing up close. She was dressed amazingly. I gave her a card, and she folded it up and put it in her pocket so she can read it later.'

Ms Davis said she wrote on the card that Meghan 'really inspires' her.

Harry and Meghan were greeted by the chief executive of the Community Recording Studio, Trevor Rose, before they entered the building.

The crowd cheered excitedly as the couple disappeared out of view into the community hub.

They are supporting several charities on their visit, including Nottingham's largest food bank and a recording studio where Meghan will take part in an acting workshop.

The couple will also visit Epic Partners, a charity that offers sports mentoring for children aged four to 18, and the Himmah Hub, where they will be reunited with members of the Hubb Community Kitchen, a volunteer group from London, that they last visited in 2018.

Hubb, which was established after the Grenfell Tower fire claimed 72 lives in June 2017, has long been a passion project for Meghan. She wrote the foreword to its 2018 cookbook, Together.

There is a 'really nice synergy' in their return to Nottingham nine years on, a source said, while adding that things have changed since they were last there.

And Meghan, who was out for lunch with her royal wedding hairdresser in London yesterday, will not be making these kinds of visits often.

'Her public appearances will be relatively rare. She is reading a lot of scripts at the moment. If she has time left after all of that, she will do some charity work,' the Sussex source said.

'But she's not a working royal. Her day isn't organised around a programme pulled together by a private secretary. She's a full-time mum and entrepreneur, and that alone takes up a lot of time and work.'

Harry is focused on his charity work, especially Invictus, while Meghan is more focused on her lifestyle brand As Ever and her potential return to acting.

'They have different professional priorities,' one source explained. 'Prince Harry's is his philanthropic work and public service. Her focus is on her family and children, followed by her business, followed by rebooting her acting career.'