Meghan Markle reportedly appeared uncomfortable with the Royal Family’s established hierarchy during her first solo public engagement alongside Catherine, now the Princess of Wales, according to observations made by a body language expert. The event, which took place at Wimbledon shortly after Meghan married Prince Harry, has since been revisited as an early example of the differences in how the two women approached royal life.

In July 2018, less than two months after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding, Meghan accompanied Catherine to the Wimbledon Ladies’ Singles Final. It marked their first official appearance together without Prince Harry or Prince William, attracting considerable public attention.

The sisters-in-law attended Centre Court at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club to watch Serena Williams, a close friend of Meghan’s, compete against Germany’s Angelique Kerber for the championship title. Throughout the match, photographers captured the pair smiling, chatting quietly, and seemingly enjoying one another’s company.

However, according to body language analyst Judi James, video footage from the occasion tells a more complicated story than the still photographs suggest. She believes subtle gestures indicated that Meghan may have struggled to adjust to the formal structure of royal protocol, particularly regarding Catherine’s senior position within the monarchy.

By the following year, widespread media speculation had already fueled rumors of tension between the two women, leading newspapers to describe them as the “duelling Duchesses.” Looking back at their first Wimbledon appearance together, Ms. James argued that certain interactions hinted at underlying differences rather than effortless harmony.

As the two women arrived at the venue, Catherine, wearing a navy-and-white polka-dot dress, exited the vehicle first and walked ahead while greeting officials welcoming them to the tournament. Meghan followed behind her.

According to Ms. James, Meghan’s body language suggested she may have expected the outing to feel more like two friends attending an event together rather than an occasion governed by royal protocol and rank.

The expert pointed to the moment when Meghan stepped out of the car and appeared to pause while Catherine acknowledged the event’s hosts. Ms. James interpreted this brief hesitation as a sign that Meghan had anticipated walking alongside Catherine throughout the engagement rather than waiting for her.

She also observed what she described as a friendly smile directed by Meghan toward Catherine, suggesting it resembled the kind of expression exchanged between close companions. In contrast, Catherine appeared fully focused on carrying out her official responsibilities as patron of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.

Rather than immediately bringing Meghan into the introductions, Catherine continued greeting officials with a polished public smile while following established royal etiquette. Ms. James believed this reflected Catherine’s experience performing formal engagements and maintaining the expected ceremonial order.

The body language expert suggested that Meghan may have expected a more collaborative presentation, with both women interacting equally from the outset. Instead, the occasion followed the traditional structure in which Catherine, as the senior royal present, naturally took the leading role.

Since relocating to California after stepping away from royal duties, Meghan has frequently been observed taking a more prominent position during appearances alongside Prince Harry. According to Ms. James, she often initiates conversations, steps forward first, or subtly guides interactions with members of the public and the media.

Because of that communication style, the expert suggested Meghan may have found the established hierarchy within the British monarchy unfamiliar or difficult to interpret during her early months as a working royal.

Ms. James explained that whenever Harry displays traditional royal behavior, Meghan has sometimes appeared eager to step alongside him or even move ahead, making the more rigid order of precedence within the Royal Family potentially confusing from her perspective.

Another moment cited by the expert occurred as Catherine and Meghan prepared to greet a receiving line. Each royal had been assigned separate hosts to guide them through the introductions, yet Meghan appeared to move toward Catherine as though expecting them to proceed together.

According to Ms. James, Catherine briefly seemed aware that the expected formation had shifted before continuing with the official protocol. Meghan then appeared to hesitate and raised her hand to adjust her hair, a gesture the analyst interpreted as indicating uncertainty or self-consciousness.

Further examples were observed during introductions to Wimbledon ball boys and ball girls. Catherine naturally led the procession according to royal precedence, while Meghan was temporarily delayed by her own escort.

Ms. James suggested Meghan initially expected to continue walking behind Catherine but was gently kept in conversation by her assigned host, who likely understood the event’s formal protocol.

The analyst pointed out that Meghan was caught halfway through taking a step forward while simultaneously turning her head back toward her host. According to Ms. James, this created another moment suggesting slight discomfort as Meghan adjusted to the carefully organized sequence of introductions.

Throughout the engagement, the expert identified additional gestures that she believed reflected mild anxiety or uncertainty. Meghan was seen repeatedly touching her hair, something Ms. James described as a common self-comforting behavior. She also briefly placed a hand near the collar of her blouse around her throat, another gesture the analyst associated with feelings of vulnerability.

It was only after the two women had taken their seats together inside the Royal Box that Ms. James believed Meghan finally had the opportunity to behave more naturally, engaging Catherine in friendly conversation without the constraints of ceremonial protocol.

In the years since Harry and Meghan stepped away from royal duties, numerous accounts have emerged attempting to explain why Meghan’s relationship with Catherine reportedly deteriorated. Various incidents—including disagreements surrounding Princess Charlotte’s bridesmaid dress and other personal misunderstandings—have frequently been discussed by royal commentators.

Some royal biographers believe differences between the two women became apparent even before they officially met.

According to author Tina Brown, Harry introduced Meghan to William and Catherine in early 2017 after dating the former actress for approximately six months. Public reports at the time described the meeting as successful and emphasized Harry’s hope that his family would welcome Meghan warmly.

However, Meghan later recalled the introduction differently during the Netflix documentary series “Harry & Meghan.”

She explained that she had greeted William and Catherine casually while wearing ripped jeans and going barefoot at home. Meghan described herself as naturally affectionate and said hugging people had always been her instinctive way of greeting others.

She admitted she had not realized that such informality might feel unusual or uncomfortable within British culture, especially during an initial meeting with senior members of the Royal Family.

Meghan also said she gradually came to understand that royal formality extended beyond public appearances into private family interactions. Initially, she assumed everyone would relax once official duties ended, but she later discovered that the reserved atmosphere often remained even behind closed doors.

She acknowledged that this realization surprised her because it differed significantly from her own background and expectations.

Writing in “The Palace Papers,” Tina Brown described Meghan as naturally warm and expressive, contrasting that personality with Catherine’s more reserved nature.

Brown argued that Catherine had long maintained a relatively small and trusted inner circle of close friends and was not someone who immediately formed intimate relationships with newcomers.

At the time Meghan entered the Royal Family, Catherine was balancing her responsibilities as a senior royal while raising Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Brown suggested she had little reason to view Harry’s girlfriend as either a close companion or a rival.

When Harry and Meghan announced their engagement in November 2017, however, Meghan publicly praised both William and Catherine for welcoming her into the family and supporting her transition into royal life.

Despite those positive comments, reports soon emerged alleging disagreements ahead of the royal wedding. One widely discussed story claimed that Catherine had been left upset during conversations about bridesmaid dresses for the ceremony.

Different versions of the incident have circulated over the years. Some accounts suggested disagreements centered on protocol, including whether young bridesmaids should wear tights. Others claimed there were differing opinions regarding the fit and length of Princess Charlotte’s dress.

During her interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan disputed reports that she had made Catherine cry. Instead, she stated that Catherine had been upset during the discussions but later apologized and even brought her flowers afterward.

Royal commentators have since noted that multiple interpretations of the bridesmaid dispute exist and that the complete story remains unclear.

Prince Harry later described another uncomfortable moment in his memoir “Spare.” Before the Royal Foundation Forum in early 2018, Meghan reportedly asked Catherine if she could borrow some lip gloss.

Harry wrote that Catherine appeared surprised by the request but nevertheless searched through her handbag and handed it over. According to his account, Meghan applied the gloss with her finger before returning it, while Catherine reacted with visible discomfort.

That Royal Foundation event represented the first official appearance of William, Catherine, Harry, and Meghan together as the so-called “Fab Four.” During the engagement, Harry acknowledged that working together as a family naturally came with challenges, although he expressed confidence that their shared responsibilities would continue despite occasional differences.