Harry 'collapsed like a souffle' as Meghan interrupts during interview, expert says

A body-language expert has described Prince Harry as having a moment of visible frustration, saying he “collapsed like a souffle” when Meghan Markle repeatedly interrupted him during a joint interview at a Marcy Lab School roundtable in New York City in October 2023. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were there to discuss education and mental health as part of their ongoing public appearances since stepped back from royal duties.

The interaction captured Meghan speaking primarily about the importance of education while Harry appeared to struggle to interject. In the clip, Meghan dominates the floor as Harry tries to insert his own points, eventually yielding and allowing her to carry the conversation. The scene unfolded at a venue that the couple visited ahead of a broader engagement at Hudson Yards for the Archewell Foundation Parents' Summit: Mental Wellness in a Digital Age. The Marcy Lab School aims to prepare young adults of color for rewarding, wealth-generating careers in the tech sector within a year, and has been described in some circles as an alternative to college.

Judi James, a body-language expert who spoke to the Daily Mail about the moment, framed Meghan’s interruptions as part of a broader pattern she has observed in high-profile couples. James said interruptions indoors can come across as enthusiastic in casual settings but can project rudeness, demeaning status, or undermine the speaker in public or formal events. She noted that long-term couples often develop choreographic signals—non-verbal cues that announce a desire to speak and then yield to the current speaker without breaking the flow. According to James, Meghan’s approach in these exchanges tends to be more overt and immediate, which she described as “more visible and less subtle pats, touches, strokes and steering gestures” intended to signal Meghan’s turn at the mic.

The expert portrayed Meghan as the more engaging, “compelling” speaker in these joint appearances, which James said can effectively shift momentum and raise the pace of the conversation. She suggested that such dynamics can be perceived as a critique of the other person’s messaging, especially when one partner interrupts to steer the discussion toward a particular topic—Meghan’s cadence around the word “education,” for instance, can imply that Harry’s phrasing lacked clarity.

From a physical standpoint, James described Harry as more active when he is speaking, using emphatic hand gestures and two-handed movements. In the moments when Meghan interrupts for a second time, James says Harry appears to detach from the conversation. Eye contact is disrupted, and in one instance his head turns away while Meghan continues. The expert noted that Harry’s response—keeping his gaze away, followed by a subtle facial reaction and a quick return to the conversation—reads as a reluctance to engage on Meghan’s terms in that setting.

The second interruption, James contends, marks a notable shift in the dynamic: Meghan presses forward with her own phrasing and a high-energy delivery as she resumes with the keyword “education.” Harry’s reaction is described as a cut-off ritual, with him touching his nose and a downcast look, signaling a reluctance to contest Meghan’s lead or offer immediate feedback. James added that when signals between partners are misread or absent, interruptions can feel more abrupt and less coordinated, which can amplify the perception of tension for observers in the room.

Observers who watched the exchange noted Meghan’s broader pattern of leading interviews in recent years. Since stepping back from royal duties, the couple has appeared together in multiple public conversations, with Meghan often steering the dialogue. Markle’s supporters say the couple are sharing their perspectives on education and mental health, while critics contend that their on-camera chemistry can occasionally skew the dynamics of their exchanges. The latest analysis from James adds to a longer-running conversation about how the couple’s non-verbal communication shapes audience perception during high-profile appearances.

The surrounding context for the scene is a 2023 chapter in the Sussex narrative: a public-facing push for education and mental health initiatives, with their appearances framed by their nonprofit work through Archewell. The Marcy Lab School event was described as a stepping stone toward a larger platform in New York, where the couple later addressed audiences at a summit focused on digital-age wellness for families and children. While the event itself centered on important social issues, the moment of interrupted dialogue drew renewed attention to how the Sussex duo navigates public conversations in real time.

The debate around this moment underscores the broader public interest in the Sussexes’ communication style and partnership. For now, analysts, fans, and critics alike will be watching not only what they say, but how they say it, as the couple continue to shape their narrative through interviews, public appearances, and the ongoing work of their charitable foundations.