Body Language Expert Shares Photo That Shows the Exact Moment Harry Became Meghan's 'Spare'

A body language expert has identified a photograph that allegedly captures Prince Harry choosing to be a 'spare' not only to his brother Prince William but also to his wife Meghan Markle. Judi James, a behavioral expert with more than two dozen books to her name, highlighted a 2021 Time magazine cover as the moment when Harry embodied a secondary role beside Markle.

James analyzed the couple’s body language on the magazine cover, where she described Harry as 'quite openly' posing as Markle's ‘spare.' According to The Sun, she stated, “Their cover of Time Magazine seems to provide a perfect illustration of their status fluctuations and Harry's profound moment when he was quite openly (and presumably compliantly) posing as Meghan’s ‘spare.’"

She explained, "The power signals on this Time magazine cover shot are only marginally less surprising than Harry’s apparently relaxed and agreeable approach to being posed looking like a plus one...It’s been described as a pose that is reminiscent of a hairdresser showing off his handiwork to the camera, with the celebrity client being the star." The expert pointed to other details in the photograph such as Markle's dominant positioning which took up nearly two-thirds of the cover.

Additionally, James observed that Markle's legs were positioned in a 'power pose,' with Harry appearing less assertive beside her. James also argued that Markle's 'big hair' conveyed strength, while the upturned V under her armpits signaled confidence. She described Harry’s posture as 'capricious,' noting that he partially hides behind Markle, leaning into the shot with an awkwardly placed hand on her shoulder.

James further analyzed the visual impact of Markle's white outfit, contrasting sharply against Harry’s darker attire, which she opined further highlights Markle's commanding presence. Discussing Harry’s shift from a prominent public figure to a supportive role, James suggested that Markle's established career as a campaigner influences their public image.

She explained, “What we’ve seen as a result of this nature versus nurture status imbalance is that while Meghan acts as host and sometime leader now, Harry has needed to melt into a plus one or ‘spare’ role at times.” This view echoes Harry’s own reflections on feeling like a 'spare' within the royal family—a theme he explores in his memoir. In his book, Harry shares lifelong experiences of being labeled the 'spare' to his brother, who is in the direct line to the throne. Reportedly, Markle refuted this idea after their daughter’s birth, writing him a message Harry described as a 'love poem.'

James also commented on Harry’s move to the United States, which she interpreted as an attempt to escape royal hierarchy, according to Cheatsheet. She observed, “Ironically though, Harry seems to have almost replicated his ‘spare’ role with Meghan in a way that seems to endorse the theory that humans will seek out the comfort of the familiar even if that familiar state was causing us grief in the first place.”