How Harry and Meghan were 'isolated' at final Sandringham Christmas

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle looked 'isolated and ignored' during their final Christmas at Sandringham before they quit the Firm, a body language expert has claimed. 

The Duchess of Sussex, now 44, tried to 'take charge' of the situation while Harry, now 41, appeared 'distressed' by his family's apparent 'rejection', Judi James told the Daily Mail. 

Meghan was pregnant with her first child, Prince Archie, when she joined The Firm at Sandringham for their annual festivities for a second year running in December 2018. 

By then, rumours of a rift between the former Suits actress and Prince William's wife Kate Middleton had begun circulating as the Royal Family appeared determined to put on a united front when they gathered at the Norfolk estate.

However, the cracks were beginning to show - as Harry and Meghan 'looked isolated, ignored and awkward' during the royal walkabout outside St Mary Magdalene church, Ms James said, while watching a clip of the couple. 

'Harry has decided to gaze across at his father with a smile of affection, although his “paperclip“ hand clasp of his jacket suggests he’s distressed here by possible feelings of rejection,' she explained.

It appeared that Meghan stepped in to 'steer' Harry through the 'disastrous interaction' as Ms James pointed out the roles between royal and non-royal seemed to shift.

'The impression here is that she knows the rules in terms of royal behaviour and that it's Harry who now needs to be steered.' 

Such 'steer' is achieved by the duchess's strategic hand placement and what appears to be her 'taking control of the choreography'.

'It's not just resting in a gesture of affection - we can see her inner two fingers apparently pressed hard into Harry's arm as she pulls him in her intended direction,' she explained.

After Harry does not move in the direction Meghan desired, she then allegedly repeats this small 'pull' action and even uses her handbag as a tool to direct Harry.

The duchess also deployed an 'exaggeratedly gracious smile', trying to convey joy and calm, while giving subtle direction and 'commands,' according to Ms James.

Seemingly indicative of her acting skillset, Meghan is able to seamlessly 'direct Harry verbally as well as physically without allowing the strenuous smile to shift from her face'. 

At the Sandringham festivities that year, the Queen and Prince Charles were alleged to have made it abundantly clear to both Meghan and Kate that any animosity must be kept out of the public eye and that the 'world would be watching', according to royal author Tom Bower.

Conjecture that Meghan and Kate were clashing first began when the Sussexes announced in November that they were planning to leave behind William and Kate, then their Kensington Palace neighbours, and relocate to Windsor's Frogmore Cottage. 

There were also reports that the pair had disagreed over bridesmaid dresses ahead of the wedding in 2018 - with Mr Bower claiming in his book Revenge that the clash was based around the fit and length of Princess Charlotte's dress.

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In a desperate bid to quash any suggestions of a royal rift, the so-called 'Fab Four' (Harry, Meghan, Kate and William), all made the half mile walk from the Sandringham Estate to the church together, wearing bright smiles and chatting along the way. 

According to Mr Bower, in a bid to 'neutralise the damaging stories' of a royal feud, Meghan also agreed to accompany Harry to the annual Boxing Day lunch the following day.

Yet despite it seeming that the royal Christmas had gone without a hitch, 2018 marked the second and final time Meghan and Harry would attend the Sandringham festivities. 

During Her Majesty's Christmas address to the nation in 2018, she made direct reference to Harry and Meghan's nuptials and their joyous pregnancy news - taken to be a clear indication that the Suits star had been warmly welcomed into the royal fold.

'It's been a busy year for my family, with two weddings and two babies, and another child expected soon. It helps to keep a grandmother well occupied,' she shared.

As the Queen spoke, a framed photo of the duke and duchess was also visible in the background, accompanied by a wedding image of Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank, and a family photo of Kate and William with their three young children.

But by 2019, there was a noted shift - as Harry and Meghan failed to make the cut entirely. In her Christmas address, the sovereign also made no reference to the Sussexes, or indeed their son Archie.

Just 24 days later, Meghan and Harry announced that they would be stepping back from their royal duties in a decision later dubbed 'Megxit'. They have never been mentioned in a festive speech since and remain estranged from the Royal Family.