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How Meghan copes with royal life

ASK graphologist Elaine Charal to chart the change in Meghan Markle since her marriage to Prince Harry six months ago, and the answer is apparently there in black and white.

Examining the signature of the new Duchess of Sussex, since she's polished her performance as a royal, Charal sees what many commentators have noted about the former Suits star before her: this American bride has taken to wedded life with her own sense of showmanship, quick-thinking and flair.

The flourish of ink strokes - like every detail about Markle in the last 200 days she's been welcomed into "The Firm" - has been scrutinised down to the last dot point.

Be it her unruly mane of hair, the flash of her bronzed décolletage, even the impromptu act of closing her own car door, has been imbued with meaning and a measure of how the 37-year-old is adjusting.

While Prince Harry has had 34 years to get used to the royal fishbowl, Markle has drawn on her experience in Hollywood - not to mention, the rough and tumble of her dysfunctional family dynamics - to navigate her way in this new, precarious world of pomp and protocol.

But from the moment the young couple stepped out into the sunshine of that glorious May 19 day, under an arch of his late mother Diana's favourite flowers, the pair have taken each step on this path together - hand-in-hand.

Clearly besotted by his beautiful wife, Harry has been her protector, both in front of the cameras - once trained on his mother - and behind the scenes, acting as a history teacher and loving guide.

At the first hint of trouble, when Meghan's errant father Thomas sold out his daughter to paparazzi, just days before their wedding, it was Harry who castigated him and, according to Markle Snr, said: "If you had listened to me this would never have happened."

Of course that lesson was lost on the former lighting director, who went back to the pay-for-dirt well in the early weeks of his poised daughter's marriage.

Her half-sister Samantha had done her best to rattle her sibling's cage, even going so far as to fly to London last month in the hope of either provoking Meghan into a 'peace' meeting in her new home, at Kensington Palace; or selling the story of her royal snub to the highest bidder.

What she hadn't accounted for was Meghan's steely determination to run her own race - captured in a quote by Portuguese writer Jose Micard Teixeira on her lifestyle blog, The Tig.

It read: "I no longer have patience for certain things, not because I've become arrogant, but simply because I reached a point in my life where I do not want to waste more time with what displeases me or hurts me", the quote read.

"I lost the will to please those who do not like me, to love those who do not love me and to smile at those who do not want to smile at me.

"I no longer spend a single minute on those who lie or want to manipulate."

While that post was timed with the end of her first marriage to producer Trevor Engelson, many drew attention to it when she endured a slew of negative headlines, thanks to her rogue family members, in the lead up to her May 19 wedding.

Keeping a largely dignified silence on the controversy, instead, she has found comfort in her husband and his family, especially Prince William and wife Kate, who knows only too well how hard that transition to royal life can be.

While it's been predictable for the press to try to pit Meghan and Catherine against each other, it has also been rather touching to see the more experienced Duchess of Cambridge shield her new sister-in-law and show her the ropes.

At the annual Trooping The Colour birthday parade for the Queen, Meghan showed her deference to Catherine, standing behind her, while chatting amiably with her father-in-law Prince Charles, during the fly-pass.

The young women were like glamorous gal pals as they turned up in the Royal Box at Wimbledon together, tittering between sets as they watched Meghan's tennis star friend, Serena Williams play in the singles final.

But perhaps the most important endorsement she's received from within royal ranks has come from Her Majesty herself, who has taken Meghan under her wing like no other to marry into her family.

An invitation to travel aboard the royal train on their very first solo overnight outing together to Cheshire was arguably the best day of publicity for the British monarchy since the days before Prince Charles married Diana.

Giggling like school girls together during an break in official proceedings absolutely charmed the crowds and sent a strong message to the world (and the Markles) that she was now one of their own.

Even when matters of protocol seemed to stump the young duchess, the Crown was not too posh to lead the way, saying "you go first" as the two were getting into a car to leave.

But her common touch has been seen as a breath of fresh air for the institution, which suffered its biggest PR disaster after the death of Diana.

The Queen, especially, committed to learning those lessons of the past and her support of Meghan seen by many as a guiding hand from a caring grandmother-in-law but also a wise head steadying the family ship.

As The Sunday Times' royal correspondent Roya Nikkah has noted: "The Queen and other members of the royal family have done a very good job of moving with the times when it comes to adapting the royal family to seem modern and relevant. The freshness and sort of youthful vigour of Harry and Meghan is going to speed that along."

That's not to say Meghan has not been respectful of place and the importance of the role the royals have to play as a conduit for good causes and serving the community which ultimately pays their way.

Her work with a community of women affected by the Grenfell fire tragedy seemed the perfect fit between Meghan's personal passion for cooking and multiculturalism and a wounded part of London which could use her profile, compassion and care.

Having secretly spent the past nine months volunteering in a neighbourhood kitchen, it was Meghan who put the group in touch with a publisher, to bring Together: Our Community Cookbook to life.

A collection of 50 recipes from the diverse uses of the communal kitchen at the Al Manaar Muslim Cultural Heritage Centre, it was a brave and bold stand with the Islamic community, often on the end of only negative headlines.

In her first speech, sans notes and with mother Doria Ragland and proud husband by her side, she described her involvement in the project with undeniable sincerity as "a tremendous labour of love."

"I just recently moved to London and I felt so immediately embraced by this kitchen," she said at the book's launch.

"Your warmth and kindness, and also to be able to be in this city and to see in the one small room how multicultural it was," was as profound a statement of support and solidarity as many of Diana's pioneering work was with HIV/Aids sufferers and the homeless.

While she has proved herself a competent and confident solo performer, it has been the times in union with her husband, Harry that this power couple have shown the full force of what their marriage and international aspirations could accomplish.

Of course, it's the stolen kisses at the polo, or their frequent hand-holding - all against the strict dictates of royal appearances - that have thrilled magazine editors and reassured royal watchers, this match has love at its heart.

Within six months of marriage, work duties together will have taken them on official business to Ireland, their home county of Sussex and later this month, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga.

But like most young couples of their wealthy and connections, there's also been time to enjoy some of the perks of their jet set life - from holidaying in Lake Como with George and Amal Clooney; to Meghan's top-secret, three-day trip back to Toronto, to visit her best friend and stylist, Jessica Mulroney and her young family, who nearly stole the show as flower girl and pageboys at her wedding.

Of course, not a week has gone by without speculation the young lovers are expecting, but so far the only addition to their family has been a rescue dog - company for Meghan's beloved beagle, Guy.

With just under six months before they mark their first anniversary, royal experts predict they will be keen to have children sooner than later (unlike William and Kate, who were the first future monarchs in 200 years not to have conceived in the first year of their marriage).

A few spring nights in Sydney, or perhaps the sunset surrounds of the Fijian islands might just set the mood for a future Earl or girl.

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