The Duchess of Sussex showed her nerves on her first joint engagement with the Queen, but there was genuine warmth between the monarch and Meghan, a body language expert said.
READ MORE: You look amazing, Harry whispers to Meghan at the altar
Judi James said the head of state and the former Suits star giggled together like teenagers at one point as they enjoyed their day out in Cheshire.
The Queen and Meghan arrive at Chester Town Hall (Peter Byrne/PA)
Ms James said: “The Queen doesn’t indulge in worries and she didn’t spend a lot of time checking on Meghan, but instead let her get on with it.
READ MORE: You look amazing, Harry whispers to Meghan at the altar
“But when she did glance at her, it was with a beaming smile and approval.”
The duchess showed her nerves by touching her hair a lot, according to a body language expert (Peter Byrne/PA)
She added: “The Queen was the happiest I’ve seen her in a long time. They looked like naughty teenagers giggling together at one point.
READ MORE: You look amazing, Harry whispers to Meghan at the altar
“Meghan was still being very careful. She sat with her legs crossed at the ankles and was clearly seeking approval.”
The duchess appeared to have brought out a girlish side to the monarch (Martin Rickett/PA)
The newlywed duchess, who married the Duke of Sussex in a star-studded ceremony in Windsor last month, was nervous, repeatedly touching her hair.
READ MORE: You look amazing, Harry whispers to Meghan at the altar
Ms James suggested: “Meghan did so many self-checking gestures of anxiety which is interesting in such a confident woman.
“She walked up the aisle on her own without batting an eyelid.”
Meghan touches her hair as the Queen receive flowers from local schoolchildren at the Storyhouse Chester (Martin Rickett/PA)
The duchess’s outfit – a beige Givenchy dress with caped shoulders – may have not been the ideal choice, Ms James said.
READ MORE: You look amazing, Harry whispers to Meghan at the altar
“I think her outfit did her no favours. The caped shoulders restricted her arms and she lost some of her more natural movements.”
The Queen and the Duchess of Sussex enjoying their day out (Danny Lawson?PA)
Ms James described the monarch as having young body language for a woman of 92.
READ MORE: You look amazing, Harry whispers to Meghan at the altar
“She looked positively girlish. When she smiles you can see the young princess coming out. She’s got a beautiful childlike smile and her little hands were formed into fists at one point.
The duchess’ choice of outfit came in for some criticism (Danny Lawson/PA)
“Perhaps Meghan did bring a little bit more of that out in her.
“We saw displays which showed the pair genuinely having fun.”
READ MORE: You look amazing, Harry whispers to Meghan at the altar
Ms James said the Queen was similarly beaming with smiles when she carried out her first joint engagement with the Duchess of Cambridge.
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