While Prince Harry and Meghan Markle put on a united front during their official visit to Nigeria this month, the trip also left some people speculating that Harry looked “worried” as his actress wife “outshone” him. The high-profile visit was the couple’s first official international tour since they left the Royal Family four years ago, and came just days after Harry’s solo journey to the UK for his Invictus Games anniversary.
Following their joint trip, royal expert Duncan Larcombe told OK! it was clear that Harry, 39, lives “entirely in Meghan’s shadow”, but said he may be content “playing second fiddle” to his spouse, 42. “Meghan is a very strong character, very driven, extremely ambitious, and those are the kind of characteristics that mean she will almost always inevitably outshine Harry and grab the attention from him,” Duncan told us. “Harry is entirely in her shadow. But he’s never really been at ease with the attention, he’s never really enjoyed it."
He continued: “Whether it’s deliberate or not, Meghan is definitely a magnet for attention. Although we saw a huge amount of money spent on her combined outfits for Nigeria so maybe it’s not a complete accident that she steals the limelight. Their Nigeria trip was ‘The Meghan Show’ and Harry was the side.”
The Sussexes landed in the capital city of Abuja on Friday, 10 May, without their two children - Prince Archie, who turned five this month, and two-year-old Princess Lilibet -and spent the next three days ticking off planned events including hospital and school visits, playing sit-down volleyball with veterans, and Meghan delivering a talk on women in leadership, which dominated much of the press around the trip.
Speaking to OK! about the couple, clinical psychologist Dr Sona Kapur, founder of the Serenity Psychological Services, said there are usually two outcomes when one person outshines the other in a relationship. If Harry is happy living in Meghan’s shadow it indicates “strong self-assurance and mutual support” but, she said, this isn't always the case. “It can add pressure if not managed well, potentially causing feelings of inadequacy or resentment. Success requires open communication, mutual support, and ensuring both partners have opportunities to pursue their interests and shine.”
As the official photos started emerging - often showing Meghan dressed in bright colours and Harry in head-to-toe beige or black - some speculated that Harry looked apprehensive and nervous by his wife's side. Body language expert Darren Stanton told OK! that while the couple appeared “filled with joy” at times, Harry often looked “worried” under the intense spotlight.
“They often display different emotions when they’re carrying out visits or engagements together as a team,” he said, speaking on behalf of Betfair Live Casino. “In Nigeria, we saw Harry looking slightly worried and not quite himself from time to time. We could see his eyebrows angling down, and a few of his facial expressions and smiles weren’t the most genuine from him. This can suggest Harry was feeling apprehensive and a bit nervous.”
Darren claimed he noticed “a few signals of apprehension” coming from Harry, “which tells us he could be feeling slightly on edge and not knowing how to act.” As usual, Meghan’s wardrobe was a hot topic - especially next to Harry’s muted tones and after she addressed her style at the Women in Leadership event. Dressed in a scarlet-red long dress, Meghan told the audience “I very quickly got the memo that I need to wear more colour so I can fit in with all of you in your incredible fashion."
It also didn’t go unnoticed that some of Meghan’s looks were strikingly similar to those of her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, when she visited the same country back in 1990. During her visit to the Lightway Academy on day one, Meghan wore a blush pink maxi dress called “The Windsor Gown”, which sells for over £1,000. She accessorised with a gold collar necklace and large gold stud earrings incredibly like the ones worn by Princess Diana when she toured the West African country with King Charles.
Former Royal Editor Duncan said meticulous planning would’ve gone into their clothing, with careful attention paid to what messages they would be sending. “Critics of Meghan would say she fully embraces basking in the sunshine and attention, she really is very meticulous about what she wears and how she carries herself,” he claimed.
He also said that Meghan “dominated” the headlines surrounding the trip, because of her own personality but because Harry doesn’t enjoy the spotlight. “It’s a combination of Meghan’s personality and drive, and also a reflection of Harry’s willingness not to steal the limelight and frankly, feeling more comfortable playing second fiddle to his wife,” he said.
