Meghan Markle Always Stands the Exact Same Way at Events and There‘s a Specific Reason Why

• Body language expert Blanca Cobb analyzes Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton’s go-to “Duchess pose”—featuring clasped hands and bent elbows.
• The pose offers “comfort and certainty” in the spotlight.

Meghan Markle went from being an actress on Suits to being a casual Duchess, a career change that’s pretty enviable. You know, minus the fact that she’s constantly harassed by trolls and is the subject of imaginary feuds with her sister-in-law, Kate Middleton. But for the most part, being a member of the royal family allows Meghan to devote her time to meaningful causes and charities close to her heart. Which naturally means she spends a lot of time in the spotlight and has cameras on her all freakin’ day.'

Almost every celebrity has a go-to pose for when they hit the red carpet, and Meghan is no different now that she’s a Duchess. During most appearances, you can find her with hands clasped across her ribs, and elbows out. It’s poised, it’s sophisticated, and according to body-language expert Blanca Cobb, it’s purposeful.

“What happens when you stand a lot? You have a go-to move, something that makes you feel comfortable, and it becomes a habit,” Blanca tells us. “It becomes part of you, and you don’t think about it anymore—particularly for someone who’s in the spotlight. For Meghan, having that go-to move serves a couple of purposes. It’s almost like an invisible shield—like a barrier to protect herself. Her hands are clasped to give herself some more comfort and certainty when she’s in the spotlight.”

Interestingly, Kate Middleton has a similar go-to pose (her hands are usually a little lower), and Blanca says it’s certainly possible that Meghan worked with a body-language expert to achieve this Duchess-ready silhouette: “If you look at it, it’s a polished look,” Blanca explains. “Her hands aren’t flapping in the wind, she’s holding her hands together. A lot of people will use a body language coach to help them send off an image because they want to be perceived in a certain way.”

Back in May 2018, it was reported that Meghan would embark on a whopping six months of “Duchess lessons” with the help of The Queen’s senior aide Samantha Cohen. “It will be six months of listening,” a source said at the time. “She is seeking out advice from a range of people. She is going to proceed with humility. It’s is not going to be quiet, though. It is going to be a very busy office. She has worked every day of her life. She is used to a demanding schedule.”

Clearly Meghan nailed it. *skips away to practice my Duchess pose in the mirror*