Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton, both 36, have every reason to be two peas in a pod: They both married into the British royal family, they both rocketed into global stardom as a result of said marriages, and they both have excellent taste when it comes to fashion. It's clear that Meghan and Kate have a lot in common, but are they really, truly friends? And if so, are they besties or more like casual acquaintances who happen to get along at family get-togethers?
In the wake of Meghan and Kate's joint appearance at Trooping the Colour, a traditional ceremony performed by members of the British and Commonwealth armies, the Daily Express sat down with body language expert Judi James to answer those very questions. After analyzing photos of the royals from the event, here's what she had to say about the matter…
Meghan and Kate have similar styles.
Both of them have sparked what's been dubbed "the Kate effect": Clothes and accessories they're photographed wearing at events tend to sell out almost immediately.
Like, VERY similar styles.
According to Judi, Meghan's wardrobe has begun to "mirror" Kate's — in other words, the Duchess of Sussex is starting to subconsciously copy her sister-in-law. (Notice any similarities between their outfits at Trooping the Colour?)
“In this respect we have the nude court shoes, the satellite hats and those small clutch bags held in front of the torso in a very signature ‘Middleton’ style," Judi explained.
Meghan also "mirrors" the way Kate moves.
Meghan and Kate's body language is often quite similar, Judi pointed out. They hold their hands in the same positions and are often caught gesturing at the same time.
And not only that, they also keep their bags in the exact same spot — a detail that's noteworthy in Judi' eyes.
"By also mirroring Kate's elegant two-handed clutch bag pose this could form a trio of body language techniques known as mirror-pace-lead," she explained.
"This is where you mirror the other person to create rapport and empathy before 'leading' them into more strongly bonded displays of shared laughter or touch," Judi added.
Meghan's "mirroring" is an indication of submission.
That makes sense: Kate is definitely the veteran royal lady here. (Meghan married Prince Harry this past May, while Kate married Prince William in April 2011.)
By mirroring Kate (and therefore submitting to her), Meghan is showing "a desire for rapport and team acceptance," Judi said.
So what does it all mean?
Meghan is indicating via clothing choices and body language that she wants to build deeper connections with her sister-in-law. So they may not be BFFs right now, but it sounds like their relationship is heading in that direction!
As far as Meghan's relationship with the Queen goes...
Judi also weighed in on Meghan's body language around Her Royal Highness, an equally fascinating analysis.
According to Judi, Meghan showed the utmost respect for Queen Elizabeth when the pair visited Cheshire together over the weekend.
Meghan was always looking down at the Queen "with an eye-narrowing smile of affection and respect," Judi noted.
Added Judi: "This intense face-watching is a trait that suggests she's lowering her own status by suggesting she's waiting for cues from the Queen."
Sounds like those princess lessons are totally paying off!
