He may no longer represent the monarchy, but Prince Harry still has some royal tendencies and mannerisms. The Duke of Sussex channeled his estranged brother, Prince William, while in London, England, as part of his “royal-looking appearance” at the 2024 WellChild Awards. Ahead, which “signature move” of the Prince of Wales’s Harry did, according to a body language expert. Plus, what pointed to his joy at being back in the U.K.
Harry made a ‘royal-looking appearance’ at the 2024 WellChild Awards
Following a solo trip to New York, Harry headed to London. On Sept. 30, 2024, he attended the 2024 WellChild Awards as a longtime patron of the charity. He’s a staple at the event, having gone to the ceremony and given speeches many times. Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, who has joined him there in the past, reportedly stayed home in California with their two children.
This time around, Harry exuded a decidedly “royal demeanour [sic],” Judi James, a body language expert, told the U.K.’s Express. “This is a very royal-looking appearance from Harry,” she said.
His “body language use of pace, energy, and relaxed-looking charm” made “him appear delighted to be back in the U.K., even for a fleeting visit,” she said.
From the moment Harry arrived, his body language pointed to excitement. He had a “keen smile” on his face when he walked in. He also learned forward during introductions, a tiny but telling move, that hinted at “an enthusiasm to meet and engage with his hosts.”
Meanwhile, Harry’s smile in official photos for the awards ceremony reaches “both his mouth and his eyes,” which, according to James, made “it look like a congruent expression of authentic happiness.”
Harry did Prince William’s ‘signature pose’ during his London trip
Zeroing in on a particular pose of Harry’s, the body language expert noted how he channeled William with a final “royal touch.”
“As he poses in the line-up, he adopts a signature pose of his brother, William, standing with his hands clasped in front of his torso in the fig-leaf position,” James said.
It’s something she’s seen William do many times previously, particularly in moments of stress or heightened emotion. Some examples include when he and Kate Middleton saw tributes to Queen Elizabeth II and when they joined Harry and Meghan for a surprise reunion.
Harry had ‘no plans’ to see William or King Charles on his London trip
Chats over tea with his father and brother weren’t on Harry’s agenda. Despite receiving public happy birthday wishes from William and King Charles—he turned 40 on Sept. 15—just weeks before his London trip, it reportedly didn’t happen.
An old friend of Harry’s told The Daily Beast ahead of the duke’s visit that the father of two had no expectation of King Charles or William calling him about a meeting. Nor did any senior royals intend to brush shoulders with him.
William’s still reportedly “profoundly irritated” that Harry and Meghan continue calling his wife, the Princess of Wales, Kate instead of Catherine. That aside, the future king’s “focus” is very much “on his family right now.”
As for King Charles, Harry’s father’s said to have wanted to avoid meeting with his youngest son due to his ongoing lawsuit with “His Majesty’s” government over security.
Queen Camilla, 77, reportedly had a role in how things played out too. An insider told Page Six she didn’t want her husband “to get stressed out over a meeting with Harry” following his cancer diagnosis earlier in the year.
Harry last visited the U.K. in August 2024. He attended a funeral service for his late uncle, Lord Robert Fellowes. While he and William were both there, they were understood not to have interacted with each other.
