By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-08-10 15:30:46 | Updated at 2026-08-10 16:56:50
2 hours ago
Meghan Markle 'shapeshifted from childlike to confident' as she held onto Prince Harry at an event to support their music mogul friend David Foster this weekend, a body language expert has claimed.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Judi James said the Duchess of Sussex, 45, 'looked like both the cute star and the confident director of her own movie' as she and her husband enjoyed a date night at a gala celebrating the 40th anniversary of The David Foster Foundation in Canada.
'Meghan appears in two very distinct and contrasting body language states at this event,' the communications coach shared.
'Suggesting firstly a very powerful desire to be liked via some childlike moves, but then also displaying a need to take control and direct like a movie producer as she switches to regal mode.'
In a video posted to Instagram on Saturday, the couple could be seen walking through a corridor lined with bagpipers. At the start of the video, the Duchess told the musicians: 'My husband loves bagpipes!'
As they continued to walk past the pipers, Meghan added: 'Oh my god, this is amazing!'
Harry then joked with the musicians, asking: 'Where are mine?' He then protested he could play both 'pipes and drums'.
Meghan's video then cut to a plate featuring what appeared to be an edible piano and musical notes before panning to the programme for the evening's gala and concert.
Judi said that Meghan displayed two different sides, 'first showing off a performance of shy coyness and excitement but then shape-shifting to a very elegant state where she takes the lead and acts like choreography monitor'.
In a video posted to Instagram on Saturday, the couple could be seen walking through a corridor lined with bagpipers
'As she and Harry arrive, Meghan is walking a few steps behind her husband and this is where her frequent, checking glances over her shoulder to the camera are used to show her in lovably coy mode,' she described.
'Her body language is what is called "broken wing" helplessness, where she makes asides to the camera about Harry loving bagpipes before placing her hand up to cover her mouth in a childlike, giggly cut-off ritual.'
However, when the Duchess made her way to the red carpet, she 'suddenly switched-up to regal, professional director-host mode'.
'This change of mode is announced via a subtle but important "tell" as she purses her lips slightly to signal a more dominant mode,' Judi said.
'Her back is now held straight so ensure her torso and outfit look perfect and her chin is now raised to register total confidence, with no giggling or facial cut-off gestures.'
Meghan was then in 'pose-alert' as David and his wife Katharine – who went to school with the Duchess – arrived.
'Smiling at David Foster, she graciously extends an arm with hand palm-up to sweep them onto the red carpet and into the pose beside her, beckoning and gesturing to announce that they should step in front of her as they do so,' Judi shared.
'When Foster appears to walk past without replying to Meghan's smile of greeting, she lowers her head and busies herself arranging her dress as an act of distraction.
Later, Harry and Meghan took some photos with David Foster and his wife Katharine McPhee
'Meghan looks happy and slightly relieved when everyone has locked into her line-up and she returns to her professional mode – although Harry rather impolitely disrupts the arrangement by leaning back to chat to the man known as his "surrogate father" behind the wives' backs.'
At this, the Duchess 'performed an act of realignment by pulling Harry closer and laughing for no apparent reason apart from to perhaps negate any suggestion of rebellion and a lack of manners on his behalf'.
Foster, 76, founded the organisation in 1986 to provide financial support for Canadian families with children who need life-saving organ transplants and raise awareness of organ donation in Canada and the US.
At the event on Friday night, held in Foster's home city of Victoria, British Columbia, Meghan was pictured wearing Princess Diana's diamond and sapphire earrings.
She also owns the late Princess of Wales's butterfly earrings and matching cuff bracelet as well as a diamond tennis bracelet, a Cartier Tank Louis and Diana's 'divorce ring', an emerald-cut aquamarine surrounded by diamonds gifted to her by close friend Lucia Flecha de Lima in 1996.
Meghan has previously worn Diana's earrings at public events and chose to sweep her hair into an updo to show off the stones on Friday night.
At the event on Friday night, held in Foster's home city of Victoria, British Columbia, Meghan was pictured wearing Princess Diana's diamond and sapphire earrings
Meghan and Harry have long been friends with the couple and were previously pictured on a double date with them
Harry, 41, wore a black tuxedo and bow tie while his wife was dressed in a black maxi one-shouldered gown by Canadian designer Greta Constantine.
The Sussexes posed for pictures with 16-time Grammy winner Foster and his wife, actress and singer Katharine McPhee, 42.
Meghan and Harry have long been friends with the couple and were previously pictured on a double date with them.
In 2019, Foster arranged for the Duke and Duchess to stay at a close friend's mansion on Vancouver Island, telling the Daily Mail at the time: 'I felt honoured that I was able to help Meghan there because I'm a Canadian, and we're a Commonwealth country – we're the Crown's.
'It's important to us, so I grew up with that kind of sentiment. I was really happy to be able to help them to find a respite just to take a little time off.'
The mansion, a secluded waterfront estate in North Saanich, British Columbia, was owned by Mr Foster's close friend, whose identity he refused to give away.
McPhee went to school with the Duchess and told Access Hollywood in 2020 that her husband and the Duke had a 'really, really beautiful relationship'.
'They're so cute. They're like father and son.
'We just stay in touch with them [the Sussexes]. But mostly, Meghan and I knew each other from childhood, but really Harry and my husband are friends. It's really nice.'
