Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s recent tour of Nigeria was dubbed ‘The Meghan Show’ by a Royal expert, who claimed the Duke is ‘entirely in his wife’s shadow’
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been warned of “two outcomes” if the Duchess continues to outshine the Duke.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex recently made headlines during their high-profile visit to Nigeria, sparking speculation as some observers noted that Harry appeared “worried” while Meghan seemingly stole the spotlight. This marked the duo’s first official international outing since their dramatic exit from Royal duties four years ago, following closely on the heels of Harry’s solo return to the UK for the Invictus Games anniversary.
Royal commentator Duncan Larcombe shared with OK! that, at 39, Harry seems to be comfortably “playing second fiddle” to his more dominant wife, Meghan, aged 42. “Meghan is a very strong character, very driven, extremely ambitious, and those are the kind of characteristics that mean she will almost always inevitably outshine Harry and grab the attention from him,” Duncan explained. “Harry is entirely in her shadow. But he’s never really been at ease with the attention, he’s never really enjoyed it.”
But also weighing in on the couple’s dynamic, Dr Sona Kapur, founder of Serenity Psychological Services and a clinical psychologist, told OK! Magazine that there are usually two potential outcomes when one person overshadows the other in a relationship. If Harry is content being outpaced by Meghan, it signifies “strong self-assurance and mutual support”, though she points out this isnt always the case.
Duncan said Harry has ‘never really enjoyed’ being in the spotlight (
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AFP via Getty Images)
She added “It can add pressure if not managed well, potentially causing feelings of inadequacy or resentment. Success requires open communication, mutual support, and ensuring both partners have opportunities to pursue their interests and shine.”
Duncan added: “Whether it’s deliberate or not, Meghan is definitely a magnet for attention. Although we saw a huge amount of money spent on her combined outfits for Nigeria so maybe it’s not a complete accident that she steals the limelight. Their Nigeria trip was ‘The Meghan Show’ and Harry was the side.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wore very different colour palettes on their Nigeria trip (
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AFP via Getty Images)
Meghan shone while Harry is happy to play second fiddle (
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Anadolu via Getty Images)
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived in Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria, on Friday, 10 May, without their two children, five year old Prince Archie and two year old Princess Lilibet. They spent the next three days immersed in planned activities such as visiting hospitals and schools, engaging in a seated volleyball session with veterans and Meghan delivering an empowering speech on women in leadership that drew significant media attention.
As official snaps of the visit began to surface, with Meghan often pictured in vibrant outfits while Harry sported solely beige or black ensembles, some suggested Harry looked uneasy and apprehensive alongside his wife. Body language specialist Darren Stanton clamed that despite the couple looking “filled with joy” at moments, Harry often appeared “worried” under the scrutinising limelight.
Meghan’s jewellery was very similar to the pieces worn by Princess Diana on her own visit to Nigeria in 1990 (
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“They often display different emotions when they’re carrying out visits or engagements together as a team,” he said, speaking on behalf of Betfair Live Casino. “In Nigeria, we saw Harry looking slightly worried and not quite himself from time to time. We could see his eyebrows angling down, and a few of his facial expressions and smiles weren’t the most genuine from him. This can suggest Harry was feeling apprehensive and a bit nervous.”
Darren claimed he noticed “a few signals of apprehension” coming from Harry, “which tells us he could be feeling slightly on edge and not knowing how to act.”
Prince Harry looked ‘worried’ at times during the Nigeria trip, an expert said (
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Anadolu via Getty Images)
As usual, Meghan’s wardrobe was a hot topic – especially next to Harry’s muted tones and after she addressed her style at the Women in Leadership event. Dressed in a scarlet-red long dress, Meghan told the audience “I very quickly got the memo that I need to wear more colour so I can fit in with all of you in your incredible fashion.”
It also didn’t go unnoticed that some of Meghan’s looks were strikingly similar to those of her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, when she visited the same country back in 1990. During her visit to the Lightway Academy on day one, Meghan wore a blush pink maxi dress called “The Windsor Gown”, which sells for over £1,000. She accessorised with a gold collar necklace and large gold stud earrings incredibly like the ones worn by Princess Diana when she toured the West African country with King Charles.
Meghan addressed the audience at a Women in Leadership event in Abuja (
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Getty Images for The Archewell Foundation)
Former Royal Editor Duncan has claimed that Meghan and Harry’s wardrobe choices would have been meticulously planned to convey specific messages. “Critics of Meghan would say she fully embraces basking in the sunshine and attention, she really is very meticulous about what she wears and how she carries herself,” he added.
Duncan also suggested that Meghan “dominated” the headlines during their trip, not only due to her own personality but also because Harry prefers to avoid the spotlight. “It’s a combination of Meghan’s personality and drive, and also a reflection of Harry’s willingness not to steal the limelight and frankly, feeling more comfortable playing second fiddle to his wife,” he said.
