Princess Anne and Meghan Markle, who a body language expert says tried to build a friendship with the Princess Royal, attend a concert to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's 92nd birthday

Royal family

Body Language Expert Points out How Meghan Markle Tried to Build a Friendship With Princess Anne but It Didn’t Go as Planned

According to a leading body language expert, Meghan Markle's way of trying to bond and form relationships may have worked with other royals but not Princess Anne.

by Michelle Kapusta

Published on November 8, 2022

3 min read

How Meghan appeared to create a bond with Queen Elizabeth during outing

Judi James is a leading communication and body language expert as well as an author of several books including The Body Language Bible: The hidden meaning behind people’s gestures and expressions. James spoke to Express about the two prominent royals she believes Meghan tried to bond with before stepping down and how one didn’t appear to go the way the duchess wanted. James revealed that the first royal Meghan showed signs that she was trying to bond with was Queen Elizabeth II during a joint engagement they had together in 2018.

“The late queen did leave a greater legacy in terms of some more heart-warming body language poses with Meghan,” James commented. “Meghan was clearly very keen to define an almost grandmother-granddaughter relationship, sitting next to her on their small trip together looking attentive and affectionate.”

The expert explained: “Meghan’s eye attention, her eye-wrinkled smiles and her trait of giggling behind her hand suggested a collusive and even secret-sharing relationship.”

Judi also noted that Meghan “mirrored the queen” as they posed together and leaned into each other in some photographs from the event.

Queen Elizabeth II sits and laughs with Meghan Markle during a ceremony to open the new Mersey Gateway Bridge in England | Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Body language expert says duchess wasn’t able to do that with Princess Anne

According to James, another royal Meghan was eager to establish a good relationship with was Princess Anne. But the Princess Royal‘s personality is different than her mother’s and becoming buddies with her was no easy task for Meghan.

James pointed out how in some photos and video clips of them together at engagements “Meghan looked very attentive and equally keen to promote some relationship bonds with Princess Anne.” The Duchess of Sussex used “similar eye-engage rituals and even the shared joke signals” that she used with the princess’s mother.

However, James picked up on a difference in Anne’s reaction as she did not return the same type of warmth and affection to Meghan like the queen did.

“Anne’s eye-gaze tended to be slightly more distant,” the expert and author said. James then offered a reason for that saying that it could possibly be because “Anne does tend to keep a more formal demeanor during public events.”

Meghan Markle and Princess Anne attend a reception at Buckingham Palace | Dominic Lipinski – WPA Pool/Getty Images

Psychic and commentator agree Anne could see ‘right through’ Meghan

Perhaps James’ suggestion is correct that it just isn’t Anne’s style to get all friendly and chummy during certain affairs. But not everyone agrees.

Psychic and The Real Housewives of Cheshire star Deborah “Debbie” Davies claimed that Princess Anne knew what was coming because she could “see straight-through” Meghan.

Davies insisted that Anne’s feelings are easy to read telling the Daily Star: “[Princess Anne] just gives everything that she thinks away on her face. She doesn’t need to say anything, you can see it in her eyes. You take one look at her and you can see what she’s thinking, she’s totally transparent. Princess Anne is just like her dad was. Prince Philip could see straight through Meghan Markle. He could see her for what she is and so could I, on their wedding day I just sat there shaking my head. I stood there saying ‘This is a complete and utter disaster waiting to happen.’”

That’s not just Davies’ opinion though, royal commentator Lady Colin Campbell feels the same way. She previously talked to the Mirror about how the duchess was “able to charm” many of Harry’s relatives, but not his aunt. Campbell believes that Anne “saw [Meghan] coming a mile off,” and thought the former Suits star was too much of an attention-seeker saying, “It just absolutely turned Princess Anne off because she couldn’t stand Meghan’s constant ‘uh, uh, me, me me, me.’”

Showbiz Cheat Sheet acknowledges conditions and cultures can impact body language and is sensitive to all backgrounds.