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Life

09th Dec 2017

This is why Harry and Meghan hold hands and Will and Kate do not

There's a simple reason.

Laura Holland

Harry

It’s all down to preference.

With Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s recent engagement announcement, all eyes have been on them. They subsequently made their first official public appearance together and intend to continue making similar appearances over the next six months.

And people have noticed a difference in how Harry and Meghan act towards each other in comparison to how William and Kate act. A particular focus has been on their hand holding.

Prince Harry's awkward hand gesture

Apparently, it’s all down to personal preference for royals and it’s their call on how affectionate they want to be in the public eye. William, being the eldest of the two, was first to introduce his wife-to-be to the public and so was probably being more cautious.

Royal Expert, Myka Meier, told Huffington Post:

“It is actually simply is a matter of preference for each couple. Every royal is clearly trusted to make their own judgment calls to what they think is appropriate.”

The two couples post-engagement interviews show a similar difference in affection with Meghan and Harry touching each other, while Kate and Will kept their hands on their laps.

Myka added:

“We see two really different emotion levels with these two interviews. Harry and Meghan are attached at the hip and totally OK showing affection. With William and Kate, there’s tenderness and love, but they clearly don’t think it’s OK to show real magnetism.”