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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Courtney Pochin

Harry put on 'brave' show but couldn't hide 'sadness' over estranged family, says expert

King Charles was officially crowned as the reigning monarch at Westminster Abbey yesterday and all eyes were on the historic moment, to watch the ceremony unfold.

But many viewers were also keen to get a glimpse of Prince Harry's return to the UK and find out how he really felt about his family, as it's been months of estrangement since his memoir, Spare, came out.

The Duke of Sussex attended his father's Coronation alone, with Meghan Markle staying behind in California with their children Archie and Lilibet, as their son was celebrating his fourth birthday.

Since the moment Harry stepped foot inside the Abbey, body language experts have been sharing their thoughts on how they think he felt seeing his brother Prince William and his father after everything that has happened.

The Duke looked happy at the start of the service (AP)

Judi James told The Mirror that he'd performed a display of "cocky bravado" and appeared "happy to be back" from the US.

She felt it was "an incredible return of the joker prince" as Harry was seen grinning as he arrived with his cousins, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.

As guests finished arriving, the Duke of Sussex was seen making jokes and pulling faces with Eugenie's husband, Jack Brooksbank.

However, when his brother and sister-in-law, and father arrived, the expert claims he performed an "ignore" gesture, looking at them before "turning his head" at a "crucial point in the ceremony when all eyes were on Charles and William".

And Judi's not the only one who spotted a slip in the brave face Harry was putting on.

Experts saw some signs of 'sadness' and 'stress' in Harry at the Coronation (Getty Images)

Another body language expert, Blanca Cobb, told Cosmopolitan that Harry showed "a hint of sadness" at seeing his family - especially William.

She explained how during the ceremony, when all other guests were looking forward, there was a moment when Harry's eyes appeared to be on his brother.

"Instead of looking straight ahead like the other guests, Prince Harry turns to the right to glance at his brother, Prince William. Although he tries to keep his face stoic, the slight downward pull of Harry's lips indicates a hint of sadness."

Blanca also claimed that while Harry may have walked with confidence when he first arrived, there were signs of 'tension'.

She explained it could be seen in the tightness of his lips as well as a 'seriousness' in his eyes.

"Harry's fingers are slightly curved underneath his hands, and it appears that his thumb is pressing into his fingers on his left hand. These signs suggest that Prince Harry is feeling slightly stressed," the expert added.

While Harry was seen chatting with his cousins and aunt Princess Anne and he greeted guests already seated, royal fans didn't get to see any interaction between the Prince and his other close family members during the ceremony.

There also wasn't anything to see at the end of the service, as Harry left alone very promptly, to head back to the States to be with his family for Prince Archie's birthday.

The royal family didn't publicly acknowledge the birthday, as they usually would with a message on social media, however, fans of Harry and Meghan flooded Twitter with well wishes.

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