Meghan Markle subtly altered her behaviour at the ESPY Award event in Los Angeles to show support for her husband Prince Harry, it has been claimed.

The Duchess of Sussex accompanied her husband Prince Harry at the ESPY Awards, where he was honoured for his work with the Invictus Games – but a body language expert has noted a change when it came to Meghan Markle’s behaviour.

Harry and Meghan attended the ceremony in Los Angeles, where Harry received the Pat Tillman Award for Service, awarded by sports channel ESPN to individuals in the sporting world who have made significant contributions to the lives of others.

The Duke of Sussex was recognised for co-founding the Invictus Games in 2014 to support injured and sick servicemen and women, both conducting active duty and veterans – who are navigating physical and invisible injuries.

Body language expert, Darren Stanton, believes there was something different about the Duchess at the event on July 11. He told the Mirror: “Meghan was there to support Harry and you could tell she felt very happy to be there. On some occasions, we will see signs of Meghan trying to assert her presence and taking the lead during joint engagements.”

He added: “But during this event, it was all about Harry and Meghan wanted it to be that way.”

The body language expert claims Meghan took a “step back” and therefore let Harry “take everything in”. He explained: “We know she was taking a backseat as her facial expressions showed genuine joy for her husband while displaying subtle, authentic and consistent smiles – without any signs of showing dominance.”

Darren thinks Meghan often takes the “dominant lead” in engagements, but this was an occasion when she wanted Harry “to be in control”.

He also added: “He didn’t shy away from showing Meghan affection either, as he maintained a closeness to Meghan throughout the ceremony. Meghan felt a huge sense of pride, respect and compassion for all Harry has done. She still sees Harry as the love of her life and is happy to be by his side in these special moments.”

The award was named after the late Pat Tillman, a former American footballer who gave up his career to serve in the US military in the wake of 9/11. He was subsequently and tragically killed in Afghanistan in 2004.

Upon receiving his award Prince Harry thanked Tillman’s widow, Marie, for her attendance and acknowledged Mary Tillman. He said: “Her advocacy for Pat’s legacy is deeply personal and one that I respect.”

The 2024 ESPY (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly) ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles was hosted by tennis champion Serena Williams, a friend of the Duchess of Sussex.

Past award recipients include Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford, whose high-profile campaign persuaded the government to provide free meals to vulnerable youngsters through school holidays during the pandemic.

ESPN previously said Harry was being honoured for his “tireless work in making a positive impact for the veteran community through the power of sport”.

Speaking of the Invictus Games Harry also said: “While so much progress has been made since those first games, the world outside seems to be in an even more precarious state.” The prince stressed that the award did not “belong” to him but to everyone involved in the games.

However, the Duke of Sussex accepted the award amid a backdrop of criticism, including Pat Tillman’s mother who condemned the decision to name the royal as the winner of the prize.