Prince Harry and Meghan Markle "broke rank" with an emotional gesture during royal proceedings yesterday, a body language expert has claimed.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex took part in the ceremony as they followed the Queen's coffin from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall separately on Wednesday afternoon and later held hands in the hall.
Harry walked alongside his brother, the new Prince of Wales, and other senior royals as they paid tribute to Queen Elizabeth II.
Meghan was one of the royal women to travel in car behind, joining Sophie Wessex. They followed Queen Consort Camilla and the Princess of Wales Kate Middleton.
During a short service led by the Archbishop of Canterbury in Westminster Hall, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were reunited and walked out afterwards holding hands.
According to body language expert Judi James, the pair engaging with each other was an "emotionally impulsive" action and showed they were both grateful to be back together.
In an interview with The Sun, Judi said: "Meghan and Harry do seem to break rank to hold hands at the end of the service.
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"It looks like an emotionally impulsive gesture, driven by a need to touch and unite again. But it's hard to not factor in how Harry was not allowed to appear in uniform like the others – apart from Andrew – so possibly felt less restriction in terms of sustaining royal protocol."
She continued: "As they walked in line behind William and Kate they closed up and both extended their hands to perform their signature hand clasp, with the clasp hanging between them."
The expert continued and said that the time spent apart from one another seemed to have been difficult for them and even "painful".
However, they were not the only ones to be seen holding hands as Zara and Mike Tindall were spotted doing the same as they left Westminster Hall.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stood behind Prince William and Kate at the ceremony yesterday. It was another appearance for the 'fab four', the first since they greeted mourners last weekend.
The Queen's coffin is low lying in state, where thousands of people have queued to say their final goodbye to Her Majesty.
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