Prince Harry Branded a 'Puppet' as Expert Claims Meghan Markle Sought Ultimate Control

When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sat down for their first televised engagement interview with BBC journalist Mishal Husain in November 2017, the British public witnessed what appeared to be a charming portrait of modern romance. Yet body language analysts now argue that footage tells a far more revealing story — one in which Meghan exerted subtle control over her fiancé through carefully calibrated physical gestures and strategic interjections.

As the couple approaches the tenth anniversary of their initial meeting in July 2016, experts have begun reassessing that pivotal interview through a strikingly different lens, identifying patterns they claim foreshadowed the tensions that would later consume the couple's relationship with the royal family.

The 90-minute conversation, broadcast from Kensington Palace, followed an intensive courtship that had captured royal watchers' attention. Yet what seemed like an intimate snapshot of a couple in love now reads — to those who study non-verbal communication — as something rather different: a masterclass in subtle manipulation, according to body language experts consulted on the matter.

Reading Between the Lines

One analyst examined the footage with particular focus on physical contact and spatial dynamics. Meghan repeatedly deployed physical cues to guide Harry's responses — from discreet pats and nudges to sustained eye contact designed to signal when he should speak or pause. The expert noted that while Harry appeared slightly slumped and relatively passive throughout the interview, Meghan maintained an upright posture with confident facial engagement, physically dominating the space between them.

During a particularly telling moment, Husain asked Harry about his proposal. As the prince began to answer, Meghan placed a small but deliberate pat on his hand — what the analyst interpreted as a calculated cue to shape his narrative. 'It happened a few weeks ago, earlier this month, here at our cottage – just a standard typical night for us,' Harry said, before the couple described roasting a chicken when he proposed.

The body language expert explained: 'At that point, she has established a very deliberate, non-verbal hold over him. By drawing his hand onto her lap and intertwining their fingers, she creates a physical connection that is difficult to break, effectively anchoring him to her and limiting his ability to move or disengage without it being obvious.' Whilst such contact could signal affection, the analyst suggested it also functioned as a subtle 'caging method' that constrained Harry's movement and quietly asserted control.

When Meghan Markle Took Charge

When Husain asked whether Meghan had said 'yes' immediately, she answered without consulting her then-future husband. 'Yes! As a matter of fact, I could barely let you finish proposing!' she exclaimed, later adding: 'It was just so sweet and natural and very romantic.' The analyst interpreted her swift interjections and elbow nudges as deliberate efforts to manage the conversation's pace and tone, preventing Harry from elaborating independently.

A similar pattern emerged when they discussed how they met. As Harry began explaining their initial encounter, Meghan interjected to emphasise their need for privacy, her smile dropping momentarily as she used a leg movement and fingertip drumming to signal caution. The couple later contradicted themselves on details, with Meghan describing their meeting as a blind date while Harry suggested they'd met via Instagram — an inconsistency that raised eyebrows at the time.

One royal commentator noted that palace sources felt Meghan's 'performance' warranted scrutiny. A palace insider reflected recently that rewatching the interview felt 'cringeworthy' and left some of Harry's responses seeming 'insincere'. The source reflected: 'What once read as intimacy is now reassessed as choreography. Critics argue the signs were visible from the start — that Meghan was going to use Harry as a puppet to get exactly what she wanted: ultimate control over him, a royal title for herself, and a celebrity life once she'd manipulated him away from his family.'