Prince Harry seemed “relaxed” without Meghan Markle at the Living Legends of Aviation Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, a body language expert tells Daily Express US.
The Duke of Sussex was honoured at the ceremony on Friday for his role as an Apache helicopter pilot in two military tours in 2007 and 2012.
During a a speech at the event, Harry said his time in the air while serving in Afghanistan was slike “being up in God’s playground”.
Royal watchers noted that Meghan Markle did not attend the event alongside Harry, despite the fact their Montecito home is just an hour and a half’s drive away from where the award ceremony was taking place.
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Analysing Harry’s appearance, body language expert Judi James tells Daily Express US that Meghan’s talents in public speaking may have put pressure on Harry in the past.
She said: “Harry has always seemed to have had an outlet for his body language signals of nervousness when he’s had Meghan beside him at events where he is going to make a speech and we’ve often seen her responding with signals of comfort or reassurance.
“These don’t always work for that kind of situation though and Harry would also have been aware that she is a very skilled and charismatic orator which might previously have put added pressure on him to get it right.
“Here he seems to have tapped into his own more cheeky and casual style during the run-in to his core comments.”
Harry seemed relaxed on stage and was seen making jokes with John Travolta.
The Grease and Saturday Night Fever star asked him: “What can you remember about your first flight?”
Harry replied: “It’s classified.”
The Duke’s appearance at the award ceremony was his first since news broke that King Charles will have treatment for an enlarged prostate.
Kate, the Princess of Wales, is also receiving medical treatment. She is hospitalised at The London Clinic as she recovers from abdominal surgery.
Prince Mario-Max Schaumburg-Lippe, a minor German royal, posted a video of Harry on X.
He said: “Congratulations To HRH Prince Harry for his VERY MUCH DESERVED Living Legends of Aviation Award.”
He later described how Travolta had told the crowd about his famous dance with Princess Diana at the White House in 1985.
The German royal said: “Prince Harry was one year old, so it is like: ‘Now I see you again, under a new circumstance, on a new stage’.
“That was very touching and very sweet because we all remember how gorgeous the dance was, of John Travolta and Princess Diana, and now Princess Diana’s son is getting an award from John Travolta. It was the cutest, most touching moment.”
