Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been the subject of significant attention in 2024, with their professional separation becoming a major talking point.
This year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have focused separately on philanthropic work and business ventures, a marked departure from their previously inseparable public appearances. While the couple reunited for two royal-style tours in 2024, joint appearances have been infrequent, a stark contrast to the united image fans have come to adore.
At one point, the couple was not seen together for an astonishing 85 days, sparking a wave of speculation about their relationship. Prince Harry publicly addressed and denied these rumours during an appearance at the 2024 New York Times DealBook Summit in December. However, body language expert Judi James believes this shift signals a significant change in the dynamic of the couple often likened to “salt and pepper” for their inseparability.
Speaking to The Mirror UK, James said, “The year did start well in body language terms, with two ‘royal’ tours that saw the glittering couple looking tactile and bonded and even one rather passionate kissing display during a salsa class that kept their branding as both a professional and a romantic duo very much alive.”
She added, “Since then, though, fans have been shown a professional parting of the ways that appears to have been building slowly but carefully recently. We now go months without seeing Harry and Meghan appearing in public together, creating an emotional drought in terms of all that romantic signalling the couple are known for and which has always been essential to their narrative of having given so much up for love and to be together.”
James noted that their separate approaches to public appearances reveal contrasting strengths. Harry often appears relaxed, playful, and charismatic, whether engaging with children, cracking jokes on television, or participating in light-hearted stunts. Meghan, on the other hand, exudes vulnerability and a hint of shyness during solo outings, sometimes leaning on close friends for support.
Two of their most notable joint appearances came in May, during a visit to Nigeria, and in August, on a trip to Colombia. James observed, “Their trip to Nigeria showed them in familiar form—an evolved, royal-style couple in love, holding hands and exchanging loving glances. Meghan’s signature move of placing her hand on Harry’s knee conveyed both protective ownership and dominance.”
In Colombia, the couple shared one of their most passionate public displays of affection yet. They danced salsa, shared a mouth kiss, and exchanged an affectionate kiss on the head, with Meghan responding with a “swoon” gesture by clasping her hands and tilting her head. Yet, after this breathtaking display, their appearances together became sparse, with neither fully filling the gap left by the other in their solo outings.
Harry’s global travels in 2024 included trips to New York, London, Southern Africa, and Vancouver, where the 2025 Invictus Games will be held. Meanwhile, Meghan remained closer to their California home, attending glamorous events such as a children’s hospital fundraiser in Los Angeles.
At one such event, Meghan wore a red dress previously seen during a joint outing with Harry, but the absence of her husband—and the matching train—was palpable. James noted, “Her body language signalled coy vulnerability. She rushed to pose with her friend Kelly and partly hid behind her, almost like a shy teenager.”
Harry’s appearances, such as his tattoo prank and a comedic turn on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, showcased his comfort in a playful, performative role. Meanwhile, Meghan’s attendance at a haircare launch showed her embracing a more relaxed, celebrity-like persona, posing with friends and appearing to enjoy the party atmosphere.
Their recent joint video for an online child safety campaign in November provided further insight into their evolving dynamic. James observed, “Their body language looked stilted and formal. Meghan threw several loving, supportive glances at Harry, but he barely reciprocated. Their one public display of affection—a hand on Meghan’s back—seemed rehearsed and timed with the script rather than spontaneous.”
She concluded, that while it’s natural for a happy couple to pursue individual professional goals after years of being presented as a double act, Harry and Meghan’s romantic public performances have always been a huge part of their narrative. Any reduction in those displays creates a sense of loss for fans who have come to see them as the epitome of a modern-day love story.
As the Sussexes chart their paths into 2025, the world eagerly awaits whether their narrative will continue to evolve separately or if they will rekindle their joint public presence in the coming year.
