Meghan Markle 'can't keep her hands off' Prince Harry as she performs 'love swoon', flirty smiles and 'hangs on his every word' to reassure him and make him centre of her attention during Colombian tour, a body language expert has claimed.
The Duchess of Sussex, 43, looked more loved-up than ever with her husband, 39, as the couple enjoyed their first day of engagements yesterday on their four-day visit to the South American nation.
During one particularly tender moment between the pair, Meghan sweetly placed her head on Harry's shoulder while he wrapped his arm around his beaming wife and placed a kiss on her hair.
But that wasn't the only affectionate moment between the couple, who at times appeared to struggle to keep their hands off one another.
Plenty of photos show the loved-up pair holding hands while watching folk dancers on the first day of their visit - and body language expert Judi James told FEMAIL the act was a 'tie-sign of ownership and affection' from Meghan towards Harry.
Meghan Markle once confessed she has 'always been a hugger' - and yesterday proved no different as she put on a very affectionate display with Prince Harry
She said: 'Meghan’s hand on Harry’s knee is a tie-sign of ownership and affection as it suggests she still can’t keep her hands off him. It would also act as a connecting signal of approval and reassurance if Harry has an qualms about the visit or event.
'It’s Meghan who acts like the lead and host for Harry so far on this tour, introducing him to the VP and taking some central spots in the more formal poses, so this "stroking" suggests he still has her love and support. Harry’s response comes as he places one hand over hers to show he appreciates the bonding gesture.
'Meghan’s other key ‘stroking’ ritual comes from her eye-gazing, where she throws Harry some extended, loving glances or teasing, flirty smiles or raises her brows or aims a ‘pinging’ laugh at him to show he is still the centre of her attention and to encourage him to relax and laugh himself.
'Even during this first day of the tour she seems to be showing that she is hanging on his every word here.
'Meghan’s ‘love swoon’ ritual is one of the most intensely affectionate pieces we have seen from the couple and that is a very high bar.
'Standing together, Meghan folds her hands in a soft, elegant gesture and places them over her heart as she leans her head onto Harry’s shoulder. Her mouth smile is wide but her eye expression is softened and lowered, as though she is reflecting on their love in a romantic moment.
'And it has to be said that Harry totally joins in here, making the romantic-looking signals reciprocal and evenly-matched.
'Keeping one hand slung into his jeans pocket to create a manly-looking display along with his leg splay, he bends to kiss his wife on the head here, performing a coy-looking ‘in love’ smile as he does so.'
The Duchess of Sussex, 43, looked more loved-up than ever with her husband, 39, as the couple enjoyed their first day of engagements on their four-day tour of Colombia
Meghan and Harry, who live with their two children, Prince Archie , five, and Princess Lilibet, three, in their $14 million Montecito home, were treated to a vibrant tribal dance at the Delia Zapata National Centre for the Arts
The pair at times appeared to struggle to keep their hands off one another
Prince Harry speaks with his wife Meghan Markle, flanked by Colombia's vice-President Francia Marquez (L) and the director of the National Centre for the Arts Xiomara Suescun
Harry and Meghan at Centro Nacional de las Artes Delia Zapata in Bogota yesterday
Meghan and Harry, who live with their two children, Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three, in their $14 million Montecito home, were treated to a vibrant tribal dance at the Delia Zapata National Centre for the Arts.
The Duchess chatted to vice president Francia Márquez and pointed to some of the costumes, before shaking hands with the dancers at the end of the performance.
She looked stylish as she changed into her second look of the tour - a colourful maxi dress by Johanna Ortiz, who has Colombian heritage.
The Duchess opted for the $2,150 burgundy Navajo Weaver Metallic Tweed Maxi Dress, and styled her hair into loose waves after her earlier up-do.
She wowed in the look, which boasted a slit up the thigh and featured a stylish cut-out in the middle.
Though the dress itself appeared to be new, Meghan wore a very similar look on her 'quasi-royal' tour of Africa back in May, wearing a £2,275 striped sundress also by Johanna Ortiz.
Meghan kept the same jewellery from earlier in the day, but also appeared to add her $12,800 Cartier ‘juste un clou’ necklace, which she has sported many times before.
She gave a sweet nod to the hosting country, as the dress is made in Colombia itself. It's also practical - featuring removable ruffle sleeves and being cool for the climate, as well as stylish in nature.
She styled her hair into loose waves after her earlier up-do - for her second look of the day
Meghan wore a colourful maxi dress by Johanna Ortiz made in Colombia in a sweet nod to the hosting country
Earlier, Meghan proved her fashion prowess once again as she stepped out in Colombia alongside Prince Harry to begin their four-day tour of the South American nation
Meghan was beaming as she watched the performance, with the couple holding hands and showing much affection
Meghan was beaming as she watched the performance, with the couple holding hands and showing much affection.
Earlier, Meghan proved her fashion prowess once again as she stepped out in Colombia alongside Prince Harry to begin their four-day tour of the South American nation.
She put on a stylish display in a £596 collared vest from New York-based brand Veronica Beard.
Looking effortlessly elegant, the mother-of-two teamed her sleeveless, buttoned garment with matching navy, ankle-grazing trousers from the designer, priced at £349.33.
Cinched at the waist to flatter the Duchess' slender figure, the smart ensemble was paired with black Manolo Blahnik high heels and a cream $4,700 handbag from Italian company Loro Piana.
Harry and Meghan were met in the capital Bogota by Colombia's vice president Francia Marquez and her husband Rafael Yerney Pinillo on Thursday.
During their visit, Prince Harry appeared to criticise the recent riots in the UK following the Southport murders.
The Duke and Duchess were welcomed to the South American nation as they began a four-day tour, before visiting a school to discuss the impact of social media.
Harry and Meghan were met in the capital Bogota yesterday by Colombia's vice-president Francia Marquez, who invited the couple after watching their Netflix docuseries, and her husband Rafael Yerney Pinillo.
After visiting a local school, the Colegio Cultura Popular, Harry told a summit on digital responsibility: 'What happens online within a matter of minutes transfers to the streets. People are acting on information that isn't true.'
It comes after riots across England and Belfast following the fatal stabbing attack on a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport on July 29, which killed Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine.
Harry and Meghan at Centro Nacional de las Artes Delia Zapata in Bogota yesterday
Harry and Meghan at Centro Nacional de las Artes Delia Zapata in Bogota yesterday
Harry and Meghan at Centro Nacional de las Artes Delia Zapata in Bogota yesterday
Harry and Meghan at Centro Nacional de las Artes Delia Zapata in Bogota yesterday
Harry and Meghan with Colombia Vice President Francia Marquez and Yerney Pinillo
Harry and Meghan at Centro Nacional de las Artes Delia Zapata in Bogota yesterday
Harry and Meghan at Centro Nacional de las Artes Delia Zapata in Bogota yesterday
Harry and Meghan at a Summit on Responsible Digital Future in Bogota yesterday
Harry and Meghan at Centro Nacional de las Artes Delia Zapata in Bogota yesterday
The Duke of Sussex visits local charter school, Colegio Cultura Popular
Harry and Meghan at Centro Nacional de las Artes Delia Zapata in Bogota yesterday
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex visits local charter school, Colegio Cultura Popular
The Duchess of Sussex with Colombia Vice President Francia Marquez
Prince Harry and Meghan arrive in Bogota yesterday
Prince Harry and Meghan arrive in Bogota yesterday
The couple spoke to children in a session where the class talked about their favourite and least favourite parts of social media, technology and dealing with life on the internet.
Later at the conference, the prince addressed the rise of AI as he said 'education and awareness' would be vital in tackling misinformation in a discussion with around 20 students aged 12 to 18.
'It comes down to all of us to be able to spot the true from the fake,' he said. 'In an ideal world those with positions of influence would take more responsibility. We are no longer debating facts.
'For as long as people are allowed to spread lies, abuse, harass, then social cohesion as we know it has completely broken down.'
His comments follow rioting by far-right thugs across England in recent weeks which saw police officers attacked, hotels housing vulnerable asylum seekers set alight and shops looted.
Unrest began after false rumours spread on social media claiming the 17-year-old arrested over the Southport attacks was a Muslim asylum seeker.
Axel Rudakubana was actually born in Cardiff to Christian parents and has no known links to Islam.
Harry's comments have also been interpreted as a dig at Elon Musk, who owns X and has been criticised by the UK government for spreading fake news related to the attack.
Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, attend the 'Responsible Digital Future' forum at EAN University in Bogota, Colombia
Prince Harry, Meghan, Ms Marquez her husband Yerney Pinillo visit local charter school, Colegio Cultura Popular
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attends the Responsible Digital Future Forum at EAN University after being invited by Colombia's Vice President Francia Marquez
Harry poses for hte camera as he shakes hands with a student of the Popular Cultural School in Bogota
Meghan and Harry chatted to a group of about 20 students during their visit to the school on the first day of their tour of Colombia
During the visit to the school Harry told the teachers to keep up their good work, 'which they loved'
Harry poses for a selfie with an artist as his wife Meghan looks on during a visit at the National Centre for the Arts
Harry continued: 'It's becoming harder and harder to stem the flow from the source, spotting true from fake comes down to us.
'One of my biggest worries is that for social media being what it is we will forever be divided, we are debating misinterpretation, and we are being misled, misleading each other.
'While we are debating and discussing how to solve the problems of digital media a very small group of powerful people are getting richer and richer and that is a fundamental flaw in the system.'
He added that 'every single week we are seeing examples of social cohesion broken down' because of misinformation and that 'information integrity is a fundamental right'.
'This worries me and it makes us all very sad to see people who are acting on information that isn't true.'
Addressing social media abuse more broadly, Meghan said: 'It doesn't matter where you live. It doesn't matter who you are.
'Either you personally or someone you know is a victim to what's happening online. And that's something we can actively work on every day to remedy.'
A translator was at hand, but Meghan showed off her linguistic skills as she chatted away in Spanish.
She added the group should aim to be 'self-reliant and not tech-reliant' while Harry about asked the conversations they have with their families about managing social media and literacy.
After their arrival in Colombia, the couple spent around half-an-hour at the vice-president's residence, where they exchanged welcome gifts and were offered tea, coffee and traditional pandebono - Colombian cheese bread.
The Sussexes are being given a full security detail throughout their visit alongside Ms Marquez, who invited the couple for what has been dubbed a DIY royal tour, following a similar trip to Nigeria.
Across the next four days, the Sussexes will take in the city of Bogotá before heading off to Cartagena and Cali as part of a 'cultural and social' visit.
Harry will also meet members of the Team Colombia squad participating in the Invictus Games, who are gearing up for the 2025 games in Whistler, Canada.
Prince Harry is seen shaking hands with Ms Marquez as a smiling Meghan looks on. The Duke and Duchess stayed at the residence for half an hour, where the Vice President expressed her gratitude for the couple's official visit
The royal couple were treated to a colourful tribal dance at the Delia Zapata National Centre for the Arts
A smiling Megan and Harry stand and clap along to the music alongside the country's VP Ms Marquez (left)
The Sussexes pose for a snap with one of the dancers after the performance finished
A person takes part in a Colombian folkloric performance as Harry and Meghan visit the country
Officials have kept the itinerary a closely guarded secret as parts of the country are described as 'best avoided' due to ongoing internal conflicts.
Colombia, like Nigeria, is seen as a high risk destination in parts by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office.
'FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of Colombia,' the government agency says, adding that many armed groups remain active in the country despite a 2016 peace deal between the government and revolutionary outfit FARC.
Besides several police cars and vans, armed soldiers were also deployed to protect Harry and Megan in a massive ring of steel.
Roads were blocked off and residents forced on lengthy detours to reach their homes or wait at checkpoints for events to finish so they could carry on.
Answering questions from journalists at a press conference ahead of their arrival, Ms Marquez said she was inspired to ask Harry and Meghan to visit the country after being moved by their Netflix documentary.
'I saw the Netflix series about their life, their story and that moved me and motivated me to say that this is a woman who deserves to come to our country and tell her story and her exchange will undoubtedly be an empowerment to so many women in the world,' Ms Marquez said.
Ms Marquez described the Sussexes' trip as a 'very special visit' aimed at building bridges and joining forces against cyber-bullying and online digital violence and discrimination, as well as promoting women's leadership in Colombia.
The Sussexes' team has not confirmed how the trip is being funded, whether privately, through Harry and Meghan's Archewell Foundation, by the Colombian government or other means.
The quasi-royal tour, which has many similarities to the programme of an official royal overseas visit, is the Sussexes' second this year, after their three-day visit to Nigeria at the invitation of the West African nation's chief of defence staff.
Harper's Bazaar magazine, covering the trip as the only words pool, said Ms Marquez shared her personal admiration for Harry's late mother Diana, Princess of Wales.
Meghan and Ms Marquez were pictured embracing as they greeted each other warmly, with Ms Marquez clasping Harry's hands in her own as they were introduced.
Harry waves and smiles at some students as he arrives at the National Centre for the Arts
Harry holds onto Meghan's hand as they go to take their seats ahead of the performance
Meghan was enthralled throughout the performance and was seen nodding her head and smiling
Musicians wearing traditional Carnival dress perform during a welcoming ceremony for Prince Harry and Meghan
The Duke laughs and jokes as he gestures next to the director of the National Centre for the Arts, Xiomara Suescun
During the sit-down chat, Ms Marquez said she shared the same ideals and goals as Harry and Meghan amid their campaign to make the digital world safer for children.
The royal couple were treated to a colourful theatrical performance of the play 'The Kiss of the Hummingbird' at the Delia Zapata National Centre for the Arts.
Tapping her toes and smiling enthusiastically, Meghan chatted to vice president Francia Márquez and pointed to some of the costumes.
Ms Marquez, a lawyer and human rights and environmental activist, is Colombia's first black vice-president and serves in the country's first left-wing government, led by president Gustavo Petro.
For Ms Marquez, part of the reason for the trip may be that she sees Meghan as an ally in cyberbullying.
Ms Márquez says she was the victim of over 12,000 racist comments on social media last year - and she has been the target of death threats and attacks.
The duke has meanwhile maintained it is 'still dangerous' for Meghan to return to the UK.
He is said to be missing the private funeral of his uncle Lord Fellowes - husband of Diana's sister Lady Jane Fellowes - in Norfolk later this month due to his security fears.
Harry lost a High Court challenge against the Home Office in February over a decision to change the level of his personal security when he visits the UK, but he has been given the green light to appeal.
During the case, the court was told Harry believes his children cannot 'feel at home' in the UK if it is 'not possible to keep them safe' there and that he faces a greater risk than his late mother, with 'additional layers of racism and extremism'.
Harry and Meghan stepped down from the working monarchy in 2020 and no longer travel at the request of the UK Government on official overseas royal visits, when travel costs would have usually been met by the taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant.
