Here's why Prince Harry 'avoids' holding Meghan Markle's hand during a recent awkward moment

Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan have been known to be the couple that shows affection, including holding hands. However, lately, the two seem to be showing affection much less in public.

According to People and Daily Mail, during the Young Leaders Reception at Buckingham Palace on June 26, a moment was seen when Meghan appeared to reach for Harry’s hand. He appeared to quickly move his hands away from the affectionate gesture.

One of the reasons for Harry and Meghan’s new lack of public affection is because it’s uncanny for Royal couples to hold hands in front of the Queen. The monarch and husband Prince Philip also never show affection in public.

This is due to the “stoic values” of their generation according to Royal biographer Gyles Brandreth. Harry and Meghan’s open affection has, indeed, been quite unusual Royal behavior.

For more on this story go to our Twitter account @amomama_usa. However, official Royal outings tend to derive a certain level of decorum.

For example, Prince William and Duchess Kate, rarely show public displays of affection (PDA's). “It is rare to see royal couples holding hands on official outings,” Royal etiquette expert, founder, and director of Beaumont Etiquette, Myka Meier said.

“While we are much less likely to see The Duke and Duchess holding hands in public, we often see Prince Charles and The Duchess of Cornwall holding hands – it’s all simply a matter of preference for each couple and is also likely dependent on the nature of the event they are attending.”

Myka Meier, People, July 3, 2018

“A more serious engagement would warrant a more serious level of professionalism, which each royal is sure to follow,” Meier added. Since they made their very first appearance together at the Invictus Games last September, Harry and Meghan have held hands, rubbed each other’s backs, and linked arms in public.

However now that Meghan is an official Royal, they may refrain from those PDA’s in public, especially at more formal Royal events. If they did choose to hold hands, it would be a welcome gesture that showed unity and celebration of their engagement period.

There is actually no protocol that says they cannot show affection at official engagements. Despite this, Harry might be doing it less to allow Meghan to assert her own place as she learns the Royal ropes.

Etiquette expert, William Hanson, also explained that the couple may feel the need to appear more 'professional' now that they are married. This could be another reason why they don’t show PDA’s anymore.

Hand-holding may be accepted in private situations and in social spheres, but when out in public Harry and Meghan are on official business and so it is not considered ‘professional behaviour.' Hanson suspects that Prince Harry and the Duchess realize that now they are married their job and status is what comes first.