Meghan Markle received a blunt three-word response from the late Queen Elizabeth II during their first solo engagement together in 2018, after the Duchess hesitated over royal protocol.
The Duchess of Sussex has previously said she was unfamiliar with royal rules when she began dating Prince Harry. The couple met in 2016 and married in 2018. Meghan appeared to pick up dress and curtsying conventions quickly, but on her first official outing alone with the late monarch, her uncertainty showed.
First Solo Engagement
The occasion took place four weeks after her royal wedding in May 2018. Meghan and the late Queen travelled by Royal Train to Runcorn Station and departed by car for the Mersey Gateway Bridge, where they met architects, planners and community representatives, according to Hello! Magazine.
Meghan seemed to be handling the outing well until she was seen hesitating as she followed the Queen to their car, unsure whether she should walk ahead of or behind the monarch. She reportedly asked: “What is your preference?” The Queen replied with a stern three words: “You go first.” Meghan then quickly moved past the royal and climbed into the car.
Another Moment of Uncertainty
The Duchess again appeared unsure of the rules as the pair left the Mersey Gateway Bridge opening ceremony. She watched the Queen get into the car and began walking to the other door before realising Her Majesty had moved to that side of the vehicle.
Speaking in the Sussexes' Netflix documentary, Harry & Meghan, the Duchess reflected on her efforts to fit into the Royal Family. She said: “Most of the time that I was in the UK, I rarely wore colour.”
Dress Code Considerations
She added: “There was thought in that. To my understanding, you can't ever wear the same colour as Her Majesty if there's a group event, but then you also shouldn't be wearing the same colour as one of the other, more senior members of the family.
“So I was like, well what's a colour that they'll probably never wear? Camel? Beige? White? So, I wore a lot of muted tones, but it also was so I could just blend in. Like, I'm not trying to stand out here. So there's no version of me joining this family and trying to not do everything I could to fit in. I don't want to embarrass the family.”
