Prince Harry 'lost control' on Stephen Colbert show when interview turned to 'uncomfortable' topic
Harry appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in 2023
Prince Harry appeared to “lose control” during his appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert when the conversation shifted to a more “uncomfortable” subject, according to a body language expert.
The Duke of Sussex joined Colbert to promote his explosive memoir Spare, which offered a candid look into his life as a royal.
During the 2023 interview, Harry joked about everything from royal stereotypes to drinking tequila. But when asked whether he watches The Crown, his demeanour subtly shifted.
Prince Harry ‘lost control’ during interview with Stephen Colbert
Body language expert Judi James told The Mirror that while Harry initially seemed confident and in his element, his body language betrayed a moment of unease.
She noted that Colbert’s fast-paced style was a match for Harry’s witty, media-trained responses, until the Netflix series The Crown was mentioned.
The drama covers the history of the royal family. In the most recent season at the time, the show took on the final years of Princess Diana’s life, a topic Harry is known to be deeply sensitive about.
Judi noted that Harry presented himself as the “cool royal” who was open to answering any question.
“He seemed unshockable right up to this point where he was asked about The Crown. Despite his facial expressions retaining the aura of being a chilled, down-to-earth fun guy, his hands and leg movements told a contrasting story of unease and of losing control of the interview.”
‘His body language suggests genuine discomfort’
According to Judi, Harry attempted to play along when the question came up, even feigning surprise.
“He gets a twinkle in his eye immediately to signal he knows where this one is going. His mouth hikes up at the corner in a signal of colluded humour. He feigns surprise to appease the host by opening and shutting his mouth and letting out a dry laugh.”
But while his face told one story, the rest of his body suggested discomfort.
“The lower half of his body is looking much less smug, though. His body language leakage signals suggest genuine discomfort at this point,” she noted. “He rubs his hand on his leg. He then crosses his legs in a barrier ritual that suggests he’d secretly prefer to change the subject.”
Harry admitted during the interview that he had seen The Crown and even fact-checked some of the content.
While he didn’t speak negatively about the series, his body language may have revealed a more complicated relationship with its portrayal of his family, particularly his mother.
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