Meghan Markle Always Wanted to Exert 'Ultimate Control' Over Prince Harry: 'The Signs Were Visible From the Beginning'

Meghan Markle displayed early signs of asserting control over Prince Harry during their 2017 engagement interview, according to experts who now tell OK! the exchange was a revealing prelude to the couple's later feud with royal life.

The interview, broadcast from Kensington Palace on November 20, 2017, followed the couple's blind date in London in July 2016 and their whirlwind courtship.

Conducted by BBC journalist Mishal Husain, it was initially received as a warm portrait of a modern royal romance.

In hindsight, analysts now tell us – as the pair get set to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their meeting in July 2016 – it also showed Meghan shaping the narrative in ways that foreshadowed future tensions between them and the royal family.

For one body language expert we consulted, the footage reveals Meghan assuming the role of a "subtle director" in her and Harry's relationship.

They added ex-actress Meghan repeatedly used physical cues to guide Harry's responses, from pats and nudges to sustained eye contact designed to signal when he should speak or pause.

The analyst also noted while Harry appeared slightly slumped and passive, Meghan sat upright with confident facial engagement.

They highlighted a moment early in the interview when Husain asked about Harry's proposal to Meghan. As the prince began to answer, Meghan placed a small, firm pat on his hand, which our expert interpreted as a cue.

Harry then said: "It happened a few weeks ago, earlier this month, here at our cottage – just a standard typical night for us," before the couple described roasting a chicken when he proposed.

"At that point, she has established a very deliberate, non-verbal hold over him," the expert told us. "By drawing his hand onto her lap and intertwining their fingers, she creates a physical connection that is difficult to break, effectively anchoring him to her and limiting his ability to move or disengage without it being obvious."

While such contact could signal affection, the analyst added it also functioned as a "caging method" that limited Harry's movement and subtly asserted control.

When Husain asked if Meghan said "yes" to Harry immediately, Meghan answered without consulting her then-future husband.

"Yes! As a matter of fact, I could barely let you finish proposing!" she said, later adding: "It was just so sweet and natural and very romantic."

Our expert said Meghan's swift interjections and elbow nudges suggested an effort to manage pace and tone.

A similar pattern appeared when the couple discussed how they met.

As Harry began to explain, Meghan interjected to stress their need for privacy. The body language analyst noted Meghan's smile dropped briefly as she warned him, using a leg movement and fingertip drumming to signal caution.

The theme continued when Husain asked about the pair balancing work schedules.

As Harry inhaled to respond, Meghan cut in: "It was just a choice. Right?" – framing the answer before he could speak.

One royal commentator later said palace sources felt Meghan's "performance" should have raised concerns. And a palace insider told us rewatching the interview now was "cringeworthy" and made some of Harry's responses seem "insincere."

Questions also emerged over inconsistencies. Meghan described their initial meeting as a blind date, while Harry later said they met via Instagram.

Meghan also claimed limited knowledge of the royals, despite evidence of long-standing interest in The Firm – and a visit to Buckingham Palace when she was a teen.

A source said: "What once read as intimacy is now reassessed as choreography, with critics arguing the signs were visible from the start, Meghan was going to use Harry as a puppet to get exactly what she wanted – ultimate control over him, a royal title for herself and then a life as a celebrity once she manipulated him away from his family."