Meghan needs to adopt the "Windsor wave" according to etiquette expert William Hanson. Photo / Getty Images
Meghan needs to adopt the "Windsor wave" according to etiquette expert William Hanson. Photo / Getty Images
Yes, even in 2017, there are rules for royalty that most of us would find - to say the least - odd, if not demeaning. Here's how the Daily Mail reported on so-called breaches of royal protocols during Meghan Markle's first official engagement.
Meghan Markle will officially become royal in May 2018, and with great power comes great responsibility to follow court protocol.
Although Prince Harry's new fiancee has already mastered some of the rules, she still has some way to go in order to truly be a member of "the firm".
For her first official engagement on Friday, she perfected the dress code, but was seen striding out in front of her future husband - a significant breach of royal protocol.
It should be Harry who walks ahead, as a "blood member" of the royal family, and Markle should walk a few steps behind.
The Suits actress also needs to work on her royal wave, which is rather over-enthusiastic.
And after joining the royal family, Markle will need to ditch her love of ripped jeans - as well as remembering to never cross her legs in public.
Deportment and posture
Meghan Markle will officially become a member of the Royal Family in May, but she still has some way to go when it comes to court protocol. Photo / Getty Images
Markle has previously been seen crossing her legs in public, ankles splayed apart - such as when seated next to her now fiance at the Invictus Games this year.
Royalty should not cross their legs: something the Duchess of Cambridge has mastered.
Catherine is usually seen with her legs at one angle on a slight slant, keeping her knees and ankles together.
The Queen and Duchess of Cornwall usually tuck one ankle behind the other, keeping their knees together when seated.
Walking
Meghan breached royal protocol by walking in front of Harry during her first official engagement on Friday. Photo / Getty Images
Although the Nottingham excursion last week was a big success, and Markle handled excitable crowds with aplomb and ease, she did rather get ahead of herself. Literally.
Dress codes
Hanson says Meghan has mastered the dress code. Photo / Getty Images
The pre-(second)-marriage Markle will need to tweak her royal wardrobe.
Although her outfit choice during Friday's walkabout in Nottingham was on point, her penchant for ripped and distressed jeans will need to be abandoned, unless she wishes to distress the royal household.
No selfies
Markle will undoubtedly have given fans the chance for a quick selfie in her previous life, but thankfully she has already realised that royalty do not do selfies.
She very politely rebuffed a few of the crowd who asked on Friday, stating the more recent addition to royal protocol.
Waving
Markle needs to tweak her waving, too.
When she greeted press photographers on the day the engagement was announced Markle's wave was somewhat clam-like, her fingers rapidly opening and closing against her palm.
She will need to learn the more restrained (and easier on the hand) "Windsor wave", which is much more subtle and less tiring.
Her arm should extend upwards at a right angle and the hand then moves from side to side in gentle right-left motions.
How to greet the Queen
Markle will probably have already learned that the Queen is addressed as "Your Majesty" when you first see her and then, afterwards, as "Ma'am".
It's entry-level stuff for any student of royal protocol to know that Ma'am should rhyme with jam not farm.
Prince Harry refers to his grandmother as "Granny" but I would suggest to Markle that she sticks to the more formal "Your Majesty" and "Ma'am". Familiarity does breed contempt, as they say.
As for all other members of the royal family, including the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, they are called "Your Royal Highness" and then "Sir" or "Ma'am" accordingly.
For older members of the family she will probably stick to protocol and call them Your Royal Highness, but for people such as William and Catherine, Beatrice and Eugenie, I suspect she will use their first names.
Markle is an American citizen and so when she meets any member of the royal family she will not need to curtsey.
When she becomes a UK citizen she will, however, need to start curtseying when she greets the Queen and other senior members of the royal family.
In essence, Markle will only take her future husband's position on the pecking order (formally called "order of precedence") when with him.
Although technically she would have to curtsey to Prince George and Princess Charlotte I suspect she won't; not until they come of age, anyway.
To curtsey or not to curtsey
Just as when the now Duchess of Cambridge married Prince William, there is a protocol that Markle will need to learn and remember when it comes to remembering who curtsies to whom once she marries Prince Harry.
When she is walking down a corridor at Kensington Palace on her own, she will need to curtsey to all "blood" members of the royal family.
When she is walking down a corridor at KP with Prince Harry (once married) she will only have to curtsey to more senior members of the British royal family. (In ascending order:
new royal baby, Princess Charlotte, Prince George, Duchess of Cambridge, Duke of Cambridge, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince of Wales, Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen).
Dining etiquette
When dining with the Queen, either at state banquets or more intimate family meals, Markle will need to remember that she should not start eating before Her Majesty.
She should also watch the speed of the Queen's eating (usually very quick) as she should stop eating when the Queen stops eating, even if she still has food left on her plate.
No one should start eating before the monarch and no one should carry on eating after the monarch has finished.
Tiara time
Although royalty are associated with glittering tiaras and jewels, Markle will not be able to be seen in a tiara until she marries Harry as only married women wear tiaras.
It is ancient etiquette that the first time a woman wears a tiara is on her wedding day to symbolise the loss of innocence and crowning of love.
Women were not allowed to wear tiaras before they married and it was seen as very gauche for a women to go and buy her own - a woman was instead expected to have tiaras passed down to her by a relative.
Accordingly, the now Duchess of Cambridge was given a 1936 Cartier tiara by the Queen to wear for her wedding to Prince William in 2011 as the Middleton family did not have any tiaras in the family. I suspect there's a tiara shortage in LA, too, so a similar arrangement may be made.
Pronunciation
Although it won't be royal protocol, Markle would be advised to swat up on the correct British pronunciation of key venues and places.
For example, it is "Bucking-um" Palace NOT "Bucking-HAM" Palace. And she will be getting married in "SINT George's Chapel" not "SAINT George's Chapel".
