Meghan Markle Pulls Out of Brussels Speech as Expert Says Duchess Showed Desire to Hide After Father's Arrest

BRUSSELS — Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, made her first public appearance since her estranged father's arrest, joining Prince Harry at a European Parliament event on children's online safety. She withdrew from a planned speech at the last minute.

The couple arrived at the European Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday, Nov. 10, holding hands and dressed in black, for the opening of the Lost Screen Memorial. The art installation commemorates children who died after suffering harm on social media.

Harry and Meghan had been scheduled to deliver a joint keynote speech. Meghan withdrew, and Harry addressed the gathering alone.

Father's arrest

The appearance came days after Meghan's father, Thomas Markle Sr., was arrested by the FBI at his care home in Florida. NBC News reported that he has been charged with possessing child sexual abuse images. The allegations have not been proven in court.

Meghan, 45, has been estranged from her father for years.

"I know from people close to her that she is very, very emotional, and that is the reason why she pulled out of giving the speech along with Harry today in Brussels," said Roya Nikkhah, royal editor of Britain's Sunday Times and a CBS News contributor.

When reporters asked the duchess how she was coping, she did not respond and kept walking.

Harry's speech

In his speech, Harry criticized technology companies for failing to protect children online.

"How did we reach a point where we can build technology capable of extraordinary things, yet still struggle to make it safe for a child?" Harry said, speaking alongside parents whose children had been affected by online harm.

He questioned why child safety had not received the same attention as technological advances in fields such as education and medicine.

"All children should be able to go online and discover something wonderful," Harry said.

Meghan was photographed at the event with Sandra Spitaels, a Belgian mother whose teenage son, Glenn, died in 2017.

Both Harry and Meghan have regularly spoken out about the dangers children face online and have criticized major tech companies for not doing more to protect them. Their Archewell Foundation has worked with families affected by harmful online content.

Expert reads body language

Body language analyst Judi James told the Daily Express that the duchess appeared to show signs of emotional strain as she arrived.

James said Meghan lacked her "usual arrival smile of delight, energy and confidence." She pointed to a moment when Meghan touched her hair, which she said suggested "a sense of wariness."

James also noted that Meghan placed her entire left hand deep inside her coat pocket. She described it as "a gesture linked more to a desire to protect or hide than a desire to fashion-flaunt."

"Her eye expression suggests some sadness here," James said. "Her eyes normally sparkle when she's in public, but that amused and excited look has vanished here."

James said Harry appeared to take a protective role. "Harry is leading and protecting his wife here," she said, noting that he walked slightly ahead of Meghan with his arm in front of hers.

Body language analysis is a matter of interpretation, and Meghan has not commented publicly on how she is feeling.

Return to Europe

The Brussels visit was also the couple's first public event since returning to the United Kingdom, CBS News reported. Harry and Meghan stepped back from their roles as working members of the royal family in 2020 and live in California with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

The Lost Screen Memorial is part of a wider campaign urging lawmakers and tech companies to strengthen protections for children online. The European Union has been weighing tougher rules on social media platforms, including measures aimed at protecting minors.