Body Language Expert Reveals Queen Elizabeth "Truly Embraced" Meghan Markle During Rare Joint Appearance as a "Double Act" in 2018

After marrying Prince Harry on May 19, 2018, Meghan Markle became the Duchess of Sussex and started serving as a senior member of the Royal Family. The following month, Duchess Meghan accompanied Queen Elizabeth II on a rare joint outing to Chester in England, where the pair spent some quality time together. And according to a body language expert, the late Queen "truly embraced" Meghan during the visit.

Speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino, body language expert Darren Stanton said of the June 14, 2018 excursion, "When Meghan first came on the scene, she was keen to fit in and adhere to royal protocols. Everything was new to her, which would feel slightly intimidating to anyone. We saw a much different kind of Meghan at this engagement—although she's a confident woman, you could see she felt slightly nervous."

Stanton continued, "She came across as extremely respectful to The Queen and was keen to put herself in a good light and build rapport. She was very attentive, especially when it came to the moment of the two of them getting into the car. There was almost this tentative nervousness—she was stepping forward, then stepping back, and then she obviously asked The Queen who should get in the car first."

Analyzing Meghan's body language at the high-profile event, Stanton said the Duchess of Sussex "displayed some signs of nerves." According to the body language expert, Duchess Meghan carried out some "self-reassurance gestures," such as putting "her hands across her chest or face." Stanton continued, "Although she's a confident person in her own right, non-verbally it was clear she was trying to put in as much effort as possible."

In his analysis, Stanton also noted that Queen Elizabeth appeared to pull "out all the stops for the engagement." He elaborated, "The fact that the two of them were appearing together as a double act was quite unique. At the time, it was evident that The Queen truly embraced Meghan."

Pointing to some of the most memorable photographs taken on the day, Stanton said that The Queen displayed "a genuinely authentic smile," and was seen "giggling" alongside her grandson's new wife.

In terms of body language, Stanton highlighted that Meghan and the late Queen were "leaning in towards each other, which is an unconscious, natural reaction between people who feel comfortable and at ease." He continued, "You could sense a genuine and deep rapport between them on the day."

The body language expert also noted that Meghan likely found the public event "intimidating and overwhelming," but she "appeared to take it in her stride and made every effort to ensure the engagement went smoothly."