Some say she is beginning to emulate her sister-in-law. Others say she is finding her own way. Photo / Getty Images
Some say she is beginning to emulate her sister-in-law. Others say she is finding her own way. Photo / Getty Images
It has been over four months since she wed Prince Harry at Windsor Castle, and as the Duchess of Sussex has been settling into royal life, every move she makes has been scrutinised by royal watchers looking for signs she might be Breaching Royal Protocol.
From those (sorry, Your Royal Highness, but dodgy) white tights, to the moment this week when, upon arriving at her first solo engagement, she (hold onto your fascinators, lads) shut her own car door - every sartorial decision, every hand gesture, every glance, has been analysed as evidence of her great evolution.
Some say she is beginning to emulate her sister-in-law, that it's all a sure sign Kate is quietly showing her the ropes. Others say she is finding her own way (as evidenced, apparently, by the car door debacle).
We track Meghan's transformation into a fully fledged member of the royal family.
This, it seems, is a very big deal. Prior to becoming the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan's preference was for a practical crossbody number. It was all part of her casual, wouldn't look out of place having a browse in Topshop look. She was a tote, jeans and fedora girl, as opposed to a suede clutch, crisp dress and a fascinator type - all now part of her new royal wardrobe.
Meghan has had to reconsider her wardrobe as she moves in to her more formal role. Photo / Getty Images
But as Harper's Bazaar pointed out "Now that she is a Duchess, she doesn't need anything more useful than lipstick, and possibly her phone".
The Queen's handbag (always black, always a Launer) famously contains little more than a crisply folded £5 note to donate to the church on a Sunday, a mirror, a Clarins lipstick, and a portable hook used to hang the bag discreetly under tables.
Perhaps Her Majesty might let Meghan in on her Launer discount code.
Is Meghan Markle putting on a British accent?! Has she done a Madonna and actually turned British?! Cried every American gossip column the first time she was heard speaking in public since her wedding. Quite apart from being utterly infuriating when Americans describe an accent from within the British Isles as being "British" (what do you mean? Scouse? Brummy? Geordie? Essex? Glaswegian?), it's also ridiculous.
Any Brit watching the duchess talk about her wedding dress on on ITV's Queen Of The World this week would have heard a possibly slightly clipped Californian accent.
America loves the idea of their princess taking etiquette and elocution lessons, but I suspect life in the royal family these days is rather less Julie Andrews (not just Maria Von Trapp but also the Queen of Genovia, to all millennials) and more straightforward.
In any case, she's an actress, she probably can't help picking up accents.
It appears Meghan's handwriting has also changed since she has become a royal, going from "controlled italic writing with dominant loops and large letters" to more of an informal, romantic scrawl, as spotted on her royal tour to Ireland as she signed a welcome book.
But what does it mean? According to one handwriting analyst (no, me neither) it shows that her comfortable marriage to Prince Harry is making her feel at ease, and bringing out her more relaxed, sensitive side.
Because being a member of the royal family, a life which leaves you open to endless scrutiny, must be such an eminently relaxing experience.
The body language
Prone to a more "respectful distance" in photos of the duchess before she was married, body language experts say these days she is far more tactile and confident. In fact, on her wedding day it was noted she appeared far more at ease than her flushed husband, who was far more fidgety while waiting for her at the end of the aisle.
She was even seen sharing a joke with the Queen on their first royal engagement together.
The Duchess of Sussex and the Queen share a giggle during a royal outting. Photo / Getty Images
Watchers have broadly been thrilled with her body language. Until the car door incident, that is. Unforgivable.
