A moment during a joint appearance between Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton revealed just how strained their relationship had become.

During the now-famous Windsor walkabout following Queen Elizabeth II’s death in 2022, the so-called “Fab Four”, Prince William, Kate, Prince Harry, and Meghan, reunited publicly for the first time in over two years.

While the appearance was seen as a hopeful sign of unity, body language expert Judi James believes it revealed how far things had fractured behind the scenes, especially between Kate and Meghan.

Kate, William, Harry, and Meghan stepped out together after Queen Elizabeth II’s death (Credit: Photo by Kirsty O’Connor/WPA Pool/Shutterstock)

Kate Middleton went into ‘self-preservation mode’ during Windsor walkabout

Speaking to the Daily Mail, James said Kate “made her position crystal clear” through her physical distancing from Meghan, describing her behaviour as entering “self-preservation mode”.

From the moment she exited the car, Kate reportedly strode directly toward the husbands, avoiding any visible interaction with her sister-in-law.

“Kate appeared to use spatial behaviour and distancing to make her own point about group dynamics and a lack of desire to turn an homage to a dearly-loved Queen into a soap-style drama,” Judi noted.

She added that Kate’s stance projected “firmness, honesty and determination” in line with her future role as queen.

Kate appeared to use spatial behaviour and distancing to make her own point about group dynamics.

The appearance came just a couple of days after Queen Elizabeth’s passing. The two couples greeted mourners and viewed floral tributes at Windsor.

There were polite smiles on camera. However, Judi observed moments of “dithering” and disorganisation that hinted the joint outing may have been a last-minute decision. In her view, the group seemed “cobbled together,” and Kate’s visible emotional restraint served as a form of protection.

According to royal biographer Robert Jobson, the outing was not as harmonious as it appeared. In his book Our King, he wrote that Kate later confided to a senior royal that the walkabout was “one of the hardest things she’d ever had to do”.

Princess Kate reportedly went into “self-preservation mode” (Credit: Photo by Kirsty O’Connor/WPA Pool/Shutterstock)

Meghan Markle during ‘Fab Four’ walkabout

Awkward moments also appeared to happen during the walkabout. Meghan was caught on camera needing a reminder from Harry to stay behind William and Kate, in line with royal protocol.

In a slowed-down clip shared on TikTok, Harry appeared to subtly pull Meghan back with his arm as she walked ahead of his older brother.

Meghan also drew attention for not handing over floral tributes to royal aides. This is a safety protocol designed to keep royals’ hands free and reduce risk.

A video clip showed her turning away a staff member and insisting: “I’ll take these.” While her words were polite, some on social media accused her of being abrupt.

Overall, the event did not bring about the reconciliation many hoped for. Since that appearance, the rift between the couples has reportedly widened.