Meghan Markle was ‘egging’ on Prince Harry to ‘enjoy adulation’ as the Invictus Games crowd sang Happy Birthday – while Duke ‘looked like a shy child’, body language expert reveals
Meghan Markle was ‘egging on’ Prince Harry to ‘enjoy adulation’ at the Invictus Games today, a body language expert has revealed.
The Duke of Sussex attended a sitting volleyball match after a night of revelry sinking six German beers and eating traditional food such as sausages, schnitzel and pork knuckle.
After Harry and Meghan took their seats at the Merkur Spiel-Arena today, the stadium announcer asked the crowd: ‘Is there anybody here celebrating their own special occasion today? ‘Anyone’s birthday? Oh I think it is someone’s birthday. A certain Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, 39 today. Happy birthday! Let’s sing along.’
The crowd then joined in with a rendition of the song, as Harry clapped along and smiled next to the Duchess – before he mouthed ‘thank you’ to the spectators.
According to body language expert Judi James, the Duke’s response was ‘very British’.
Meghan Markle, 41, was ‘egging on’ Prince Harry, 39, to ‘enjoy adulation’ at the Invictus Games today, a body language expert has revealed
According to body language expert Judi James, the Duke’s response was ‘very British’ (pictured)
She revealed: ‘He tilted his head and shrugging and actually diving into his seat quickly to sit low and almost invisible in the excited crowd while the voice over the tannoy asks if it’s ‘anybody’s birthday here today’.
‘His closed-mouth smile looks bashful and he turns to the small boy next to him to laugh and chat to deflect some of the attention away from himself.
‘Meghan holds his shoulder and laughs to encourage Harry here but he actually appears reluctant to take the spotlight and happier to settle in and watch the action.
‘A double thumbs-up registers appreciation for the welcome but he’s clearly not wanting to milk the applause at this point.
‘This is a different set of signals between Harry and Meghan because of the modesty from him about his birthday.
‘He’s switched more to shy child here while she is in more maternal mode, egging him fondly to enjoy the adulation.’
Harry has not yet received a public happy birthday message from his estranged father King Charles III or brother Prince William today, and is not expected to see them when he jets home via London this weekend. The Royal Family no longer send public birthday wishes to those who are not senior working members.
Despite the late night out on the town, the birthday boy arrived at the Merkur Spiel-Arena without appearing to be suffering any major effects from the strong local lager.
Prince Harry glugged down bratwurst sausage and wiener schnitzel with six beers – but his wife stuck to one small lager at Im Goldenen Kessel in Dusseldorf last night.
Harry famously went teetotal and abandoned caffeine when Meghan was pregnant with Archie, dumping beer, tea and coffee for green juices. In 2018 he raised a glass of water while everyone else was drinking champagne in solidarity with his wife. He also quit smoking. But based on last night he is firmly back on the booze, bar staff revealed to MailOnline.
Prince Harry and Meghan watch sitting volleyball at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf today
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex at the Merkur Spiel-Arena for the Invictus Games today
The Duke and Duchess arrive to watch sitting volleyball at the Merkur Spiel-Arena today
Prince Harry puts his thumbs up to the crowd at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf this morning
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex walk through the Invictus Games area in Dusseldorf today
The Duke of Sussex applauds to the crowd at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf this morning
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex watch sitting volleyball at the Merkur Spiel-Arena today
The Duchess of Sussex poses for a selfie through the Invictus Games area in Dusseldorf today
Harry, accompanied by Meghan and a dozen of his support team, last night made a secret visit to a popular restaurant in the old town of Dusseldorf.
The Duke, who is 39 today, sank six glasses of the Alt Schumacher beer as he celebrated not only his birthday but the success so far of the Invictus Games.
His party dined on local delicacies such as Wiener Schnitzel, sausage and pork knuckle.
Harry was also presented with white chocolate which he took back to his hotel and shared with his team. Meghan had only sipped a single beer during the evening.
For her latest appearance today, Meghan wore a Zara jumpsuit Celine Blazer and Saint Laurent Sandals and had a purse from the Cesta range made in Rwanda .
The couple watched a sitting volleyball match between hosts Germany and Poland.
The Polish team mobbed Harry after the game and sang happy birthday again.
With Meghan he posed for numerous selfies before leaving where they were greeted with screams of ‘We love you, Meghan’ from a group of excited teenagers.
The group had rushed down from the stands to try to get close to the Duchess as she left.
Lina Dettling, 15, said: ‘We love Meghan. She is so pretty and we just wanted to see her.’
Kerlos Yosif, 15, added: ‘We are excited to see Harry and Meghan. To us they are like popstars . They do so much good.’
The teenagers were among hundreds of students given the day off from school to attend the games.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex walk through the Invictus Games area in Dusseldorf today
Prince Harry and Meghan watch sitting volleyball at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf today
The Duchess of Sussex watches sitting volleyball at the Merkur Spiel-Arena today
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex pose with the Polish sitting volleyball team today
The Duchess of Sussex walks through the Invictus Games area in Dusseldorf today
Harry reacts while attending the sitting volleyball match at the Merkur Spiel-Arena today
The Duke and Duchess arrive to watch sitting volleyball at the Merkur Spiel-Arena today
The Duchess of Sussex applauds while watching sitting volleyball in Dusseldorf today
Later, Harry and Meghan hitched a ride on a golf buggy to take them to the road cycling event.
Last night, Harry partied with Meghan in a traditional German bar in Dusseldorf with friends where he washed down bratwurst sausage and wiener schnitzel with six beers.
Bar staff said the royals were ‘lovely’ and left a ‘big tip’ as they enjoyed plates piled high with red cabbage and mashed potato. While Harry celebrated with six half-pints, his wife stuck to just one small drink.
Diners at the Im Goldenen Kessel restaurant and bar were asked not to take pictures but said they saw the prince laughing and joking as the food arrived at his table. He also looked thrilled when a birthday cake arrived at the end of the meal.
He and Meghan posed for photographs with the owner of the restaurant Thea Ungermann and head waiter Frank Wackers who has worked at the restaurant for 38 years.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex meet a little girl at the Merkur Spiel-Arena this morning
The Duke and Duchess arrive to watch sitting volleyball at the Merkur Spiel-Arena today
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex walk through the Invictus Games area in Dusseldorf today
The Duke and Duchess speak to a spectator at the sitting volleyball at the games today
Harry and Meghan with the sitting volleyball team from Poland at the games today
Prince Harry and Meghan watch sitting volleyball at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf today
The Duchess of Sussex hugs a competitor at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf this morning
Prince Harry shouts as Meghan applauds at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf today
Ms Ungermann told MailOnline: ‘Harry was a lovely man and was having a very jolly time. Meghan was lovely.’
Meghan stuck with the white skinny jeans she wore to watch the volleyball match yesterday. She paired it with a red and white pinstriped shirt and nude ballet pumps. Meanwhile Harry wore dark jeans and a grey top.
During his meal, Harry was presented with a birthday cake by staff at the restaurant, based in Dusseldorf’s old town.
He and his party took up two tables at the restaurant, which is part of the Schumacher brewery, and were served their food and beer by Mr Wackers.
