Just one month after her fairytale wedding to Prince Harry in May 2018, Meghan Markle faced what many would consider a daunting challenge for even the most experienced royal family member. The newly-minted Duchess of Sussex was assigned her first joint engagement with none other than Queen Elizabeth II herself.
The Fateful Cheshire Engagement
In June 2018, the world watched as Meghan accompanied the late Queen to open Cheshire's Mersey Gateway Bridge and Chester's Storyhouse Theatre. The pair later attended an official lunch at the Town Hall, marking what would become the first and only time Queen Elizabeth, then 92, and Meghan, then 36, would carry out an engagement together.
Royal observers had hoped the new Duchess would learn by watching Her Majesty in action, but according to body language expert Judi James, the engagement might have been scheduled too early in Meghan's royal career. Speaking to the Daily Mail, James highlighted several protocol breaches that occurred during the outing.
Subtle Signs of Strain
James pointed to a particular interaction captured during the Gateway Bridge opening ceremony where Meghan was seen talking to the Queen, who responded by looking away and rubbing her eye. According to the expert, this suggested Meghan had 'breached' royal protocol that requires family members to 'avoid any personal-looking communication' during public events.
'The Queen might have made a subtle attempt at shutting down the former Suits actress's intimate display of fondness during a public appearance,' James explained. During another moment, the Duchess 'lifted her hand to her mouth as though performing an act of whispering to the Queen' - a gesture that, while potentially natural, could send the wrong message to observers.
James elaborated: 'Talking or laughing behind your hand can suggest you're laughing at the people you are watching.' The Queen exchanged only a 'brief' smile with Meghan and refused to 'really engage in a proper conversation,' indicating her efforts to ensure they didn't exclude members of the public or appear distracted from children who were dancing for them.
Comparing Royal Introductions
The timing of Meghan's first joint outing with the Queen stood in stark contrast to other royal newcomers. James noted that Meghan attended this engagement 'much earlier' than Princess Catherine, who waited nearly a year after her April 2011 wedding to Prince William before her first joint engagement with the monarch in March 2012.
Kate appeared significantly more at ease with the 'very formal but attentive signals' typical for a Lady in Waiting during her initial engagement with Her Majesty. Meanwhile, Meghan seemed to be 'just trying too hard' in her hope of 'forging a relationship of closeness, fondness and friendship' with the Queen in public.
Additional Protocol Breaches
Beyond the body language missteps, Meghan seemingly broke two concrete rules of royal etiquette during the June 2018 outing. According to the royal order of precedence, individuals are never permitted to walk ahead of the Monarch at any point. However, footage captured Meghan striding in front of the Queen while greeting crowds on Chester's streets and grabbing a bouquet.
Royal protocol also dictates that when a member of The Firm receives flowers, they should immediately pass them to their private secretaries and personal assistants. This allows aides to properly display the flowers while keeping the royal's hands free for greeting the public. There's also a security consideration - bouquets could potentially contain dangerous substances or explosives.
The Aftermath and Reflections
In his book 'Gilded Youth', royal biographer Tom Quinn claimed the Duchess was sometimes overwhelmed by royal protocol as she struggled to understand she 'was not and never could be first in the pecking order.' Quinn wrote: '[Meghan] hated the fact that she had to do what she was told and go where she was told in the endless and to a large extent pointless royal round.'
According to the royal author, Meghan allegedly tried not only to carve out her own independent career as a working royal but also attempted to 'outshine' every other family member - including Her Majesty. 'She was a global superstar but was being told what she could and could not do, what she could and could not say. She hated it,' Quinn added.
When Meghan first joined the Royal Family, the Queen reportedly suggested that her close friend Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, show the American newcomer the ropes. However, Meghan declined the offer, with the Queen's friend Gyles Brandreth recalling her saying: 'I've got Harry.'
Since the Sussexes stepped back from royal duties in 2020, Meghan has spoken openly about her adverse feelings toward The Firm's extensive rules. In what many interpreted as a veiled criticism of royal life, she mentioned during a Bloomberg interview that she 'couldn't be as vocal' while a working royal and wore clothes that were 'not very myself.'
Reflecting on the difference between her current and former life, she said: 'It was different several years ago when I couldn't be as vocal, and I had to wear nude pantyhose all the time!' Adding that it 'felt a little bit inauthentic,' she continued: 'It is an example of when you want to dress the way you want to dress and say the things that are true, and you're able to show up in that space really organically and authentically - that's being comfortable in your own skin.'
