Meghan Markle was a commoner with no aristocratic background before she met Prince Harry. But when she became part of his family, she apparently got a special master class on royal life from Queen Elizabeth herself.
Finding Freedom, the new biography on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, details how Queen Elizabeth was determined to help the newcomer get settled into their family. The book's co-author, Carolyn Durand, said that Her Majesty was "wonderful, warm and generous" toward her new granddaughter-in-law from the start.
Queen Elizabeth reportedly ensured that Meghan would feel at home and not be at a loss as to her duties. The monarch had full confidence she would do an excellent job on her first royal engagement in June 2018, or a month after her wedding to Prince Harry.
Before this big day, Queen Elizabeth apparently gifted Meghan a pair of pearl and diamond earrings. The Duchess of Sussex, in return, was said to be determined to impress Her Majesty.
Sources told the authors of Finding Freedom that Meghan took her lessons on royal life seriously. She was seen at Kensington Palace often carrying binders containing materials about royal protocols.
Meghan apparently didn't want to make any mistakes and put the wrong foot forward, so she made it known to the Queen that she was eager to learn.
The Duchess of Sussex also had to undergo SAS training amid threats to her life. All members of the royal family had to go through this at some point to learn what to do in case of an attack. Meghan reportedly had to participate in a mock kidnapping attempt and received guidance on how to deal with her abductors to prevent casualties during a hostage situation.
Meanwhile, Finding Freedom also revealed that Meghan's first meeting with Queen Elizabeth was actually by accident. She and Prince Harry apparently "bumped" into the monarch at the palace, which dispensed any awkwardness, compared with meeting the Queen formally.
But Meghan did have a formal audience with Queen Elizabeth upon her engagement to Prince Harry. She was apparently nervous to meet the iconic woman despite their previous brief encounter.
According to the Finding Freedom authors, this official meeting was a "great success." It took place during the Queen's afternoon tea at her private apartment in Buckingham Palace.
Apparently, Queen Elizabeth's dogs were in the room during their formal meeting. Meghan, an animal lover, felt at ease with the dogs around, but the monarch was also warm toward her.
