Meghan Markle celebrated her 42nd birthday this week, as she was joined by her husband Prince Harry for a night out at Italian restaurant Tre Lune near their home in Montecito, California.
A body language expert has given her take on how the couple interacted with each other on the night, as she noted a supposed tension between the two.
Judi James told The Mirror: “Harry looks relegated to entourage status here as he follows wife Meghan out of the restaurant on her birthday.
“[Meghan] clearly in the lead and in birthday ‘Star’ mode, her body language suggesting happiness and confidence as she engages in chat with other people.”
In pictures obtained by MailOnline the birthday girl looked elegant and summery in a strapless, fitting, white and black striped dress, a Cult Gaia bag, and strappy black sandals.
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Ms James added: “Harry brings up the rear, with his sucked-in lips and mouth clamp suggesting he’s much more tense and possibly preoccupied here.
“They’re not presenting as a tactile couple here for some reason, with Harry communicating with one group of guests while Meghan seems to be engaged with another.”
Comparing them with other celebrity couples she said: “It’s usual for A-list celebrities to walk out of restaurants on date-nights hand in hand and often with the guy towing his partner along to appear protective in front of the press but in these shots there is no touch or hand-holding from a normally very tactile couple.”
There have been rumours swirling about trouble in the couple’s marriage, however friends close to the pair have dismissed the claims as “literally made up”.
Tre Lune is a popular eatery with many of Harry and Meghan’s California neighbours, such as Kim Kardashian and Ellen DeGeneres, the latter of whom is said to be friendly with the Sussexes.
Ellen is a member of the couple’s LA social circle, alongside cosmetics mogul Victoria Jackson and designer Sarah Staudinger, who is married to Ari Emanuel, the CEO of Meghan’s new agency William Morris Endeavour.
Two celebrities that Harry and Meghan are reportedly no longer close to are David and Victoria Beckham, in spite of them being guests at the royal wedding in 2018.
A source close to the Beckhams told the Daily Mail: “David and Victoria went to Meghan and Harry’s wedding and were very supportive when Meghan arrived in the UK.”
However after a tense phone call in which Harry accused the Beckhams of leaking stories about him and Meghan, their relationship deteriorated, with the source adding that “any making up now is so unlikely”.
