Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s latest date night sparked intense scrutiny and wild speculation after social media users zeroed in on Harry’s seemingly “tense” body language, igniting whispers that it was a “PR night out.”
On Sunday, February 15, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended the 75th NBA All-Star Game at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, the new home of the LA Clippers.
Highlights
- Prince Harry’s “tense” body language during the NBA All-Star Game with Meghan Markle sparked a flood of theories online, with many claiming the outing looked “staged.”
- A viral courtside clip fueled fresh backlash against the former actress, with critics accusing her of being “performative” and even “ab*sive” toward her husband.
- Body language expert Judi James weighed in on the Sussexes’ controversial interaction, adding even more fuel to the speculation as she said Harry appeared “less comfortable” in the clips.
Netizens brutally attacked Markle over what they perceived as a “performative” stunt to show off their relationship, a claim that was even echoed by popular body language expert Judi James.
“I sense that he is very uncomfortable here. He wants to be at the game, but he doesn't want to be with her at the game because she loves the camera. She can't [get] enough of it,” one netizen wrote.
Netizens blasted Meghan Markle as they claimed Prince Harry appeared “uncomfortable” and “tense” next to her during their NBA date night
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The couple sat courtside directly next to Queen Latifah, her partner Eboni Nichols, and their son, for the milestone 75th edition of the NBA All-Star Game.
The event featured a new round-robin tournament format with three teams, Team World, Team USA Stars, and Team USA Stripes, with Team USA Stars ultimately winning the championship 47-21.
Other high-profile guests in the star-studded crowd included former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama, LeBron James, Luka Dončić, Kelly Rowland, Chris Tucker, and others.
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While Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s NBA outing was meant to be part of a high-profile Valentine’s Day weekend date night, it seemed to backfire online.
Many social media users pointed out how “unhappy” Harry looked next to his wife, especially in contrast to his interactions with other celebrities at the event.
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In a now-viral post shared on X, one brief clip captured Harry animatedly talking to comedian and actor Chris Tucker, with both men smiling widely during their conversation.
According to the original poster of the video, the Duke of Sussex appeared expressionless as he returned to his seat beside his wife.
Body language expert Judi James suggested Meghan looked “delighted by the attention,” while Harry appeared “less comfortable”
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The caption read, “Harry seemed more excited chatting with Chris Tucker than sitting next to Meghan.”
“The moment he returned to his seat, she kept nudging him, cueing the smiles for the cameras. It all feels very coordinated, like PR behind the scenes making sure to capture perfect shots.”
In the video, the Suits alum was seen subtly touching her husband’s arm and whispering something, before he immediately looked toward the camera and smiled as the two posed for pictures together.
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Agreeing with the poster’s sentiment, one user wrote, “The way she rubs his arm so he can wave to the camera. What a controlling fr*ak she is!”
A second person said, “He’s probably sick of being the performing dog in their grift. It’s obvious she loves the cameras and the attention which makes all her claims about the ‘evil media’ and wanting a ‘life of privacy’ complete and utter bu***hit.”
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A third commented, “You can see he visibly takes a deep breath as he sits back down he hates her but as everyone hates them both she’s all he’s got.”
“All about the posing and performance of ‘oh we’re so much in love.’ Look at her pointing out the camera for him to smile at it. Can’t stand those two.”
“Let’s hope they are never allowed near the real royals. Everything seems so staged and unnatural,” criticized one viewer on X
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A similar incident unfolded when the couple appeared on the Jumbotron screen in the arena, where Meghan was reportedly seen “stroking her husband’s arm to get his attention” as the cameras were on them.
Reacting to the online chatter about Meghan and Harry’s alleged “uncomfortable” body language, expert Judi James shared her take with The Mirror.
Judi suggested that Meghan’s gestures, such as leaning close to Harry, touching his arm, and smiling for the cameras, were intended to “show off her relationship with Harry.”
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“Meghan’s wide symmetric smile for the cameras and raised and rounded cheeks suggest she’s delighted by the attention… She holds his thigh in a possessive and flirty looking gesture or she clings onto his arm with both hands to register closeness, furiously rubbing his arm to alert him to the Jumbotron and urge him to join in with her smiling excitement.”
James further claimed that Harry seemed to be “humouring” his wife, noting his smile looked “effortful” and did not reach his eyes.
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She said, “Harry appears less comfortable posing for the camera here… His wide leg splay hints at confidence but maybe just a desire to enjoy watching the game.”
Reacting to their latest outing, one user summed it up, writing, “Meghan is the one enjoying all of this. Harry just stared at the camera & tried to look away many times. Meghan is in it for fame it seem cause she’s always happy in front of the camera. She will never let him go which is why she keeps reminding us ‘that man loves me very much.’”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s NBA date night concluded their high-profile Valentine’s Day weekend celebration
Others went even further, accusing the Duchess of Sussex of “ab*se” toward her husband, writing, “Just bothers me so much. It’s so painful to watch .. This is classic ab*se.”
“He just wants to live his life without being in the public eye unless on a professional basis, married the wrong person for that.”
Prior to appearing at the NBA event, on Friday, February 13, the non-working royals kicked off their Valentine’s celebrations with a pre-Valentine’s dinner at Funke, a high-end restaurant in Beverly Hills.
The next day, on February 14, Meghan shared a rare, candid photo on Instagram of Prince Harry holding their daughter, Princess Lilibet, in a lush green field, with the child holding a bunch of red balloons in her hand.
Markle captioned the post, “These two + Archie = my forever Valentines.”
“She’s so desperate. Can you imagine the Princess of Wales desperately mugging for the cameras like that?” one netizen wrote
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