Meghan Markle Going Against Protocol on Engagement With Queen Elizabeth Is Because She Was in an ‘Intimidating and Overwhelming Situation’
Just weeks after marrying Prince Harry, Meghan Markle went on her first joint engagement with Queen Elizabeth II.
The two women attended a ceremony to open the new Mersey Gateway Bridge in the county of Cheshire, England, on June 14, 2018. They also visited the Storyhouse, a performing-arts theater where they were treated to a performance by local school children.
At the time, their engagement received a lot of press and questions have swirled over the years about whether Meghan understood and followed royal protocol while traveling with the queen.
Here’s more on that and what a body language expert is saying now about the biggest thing Meghan was criticized for that day.
Meghan received criticism after video surfaced showing her getting into car before the queen
One video that was widely shared that day showed the Duchess of Sussex getting into a car before the queen. Some fans were outraged by that, commenting: “Who barges in front of the most famous and dearly loved queen? She’s no respect. Shame shame shame,” and “I think that anyone with any grain of common sense would realize that the queen is ALWAYS ahead of anybody else. Where were Meghan’s powers of observation?”
However, in that video, Meghan was seen saying something to the queen before she got in ahead of her. According to the Daily Mail, she asked Harry’s grandmother, “What is your preference?” to which the queen replied, “You go first.”
Expert says Meghan showed ‘nervousness’ in ‘intimidating and overwhelming situation’
Darren Stanton is a body language and behavioral expert with a degree in psychology. He previously worked as a police officer and used his expertise to uncover the truth when interviewing hundreds of suspects. He later moved into media and TV as a consultant and has been dubbed the “Human Lie Detector.” He analyzed the footage of Meghan’s engagement with the queen and how the duchess went before the late monarch to get into their vehicle.
Speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino, Stanton told Showbiz Cheat Sheet: “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.
“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.”
Stanton added: “In terms of body language, Meghan displayed some signs of nerves. All eyes were on her that day. At some points, she would put her hands across her chest or face, which are self-reassurance gestures. There was this hesitancy about what’s right and what’s wrong in terms of protocol, and that was nice to see from her — it showed she cared about the occasion.
“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. It must have been an intimidating and overwhelming situation, but despite showing some nervousness, Meghan appeared to take it in her stride and made every effort to ensure the engagement went smoothly.”
Showbiz Cheat Sheet acknowledges that conditions and cultures can impact body language and is sensitive to all backgrounds.
