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Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle are accustomed to being photographed hundreds of times a day while performing royal engagements around the country.
But now, experts have revealed the tricks that royals use to look good in every photograph, including the way they smile, place their hands and even walk.
According to celebrity and portrait photographer Rachell Smith, Meghan Markle, 38, ‘never overly smiles’ but instead connects with Prince Harry, 35, or other people in photographs.
And she suggested Kate Middleton, 37, has adopted a similar style to The Queen, 93, by perfecting a photogenic royal wave, as well as her walk, to be photographed.
Experts have revealed how the royal family manage to look good in every photograph, with photographer Rachell Smith suggesting Kate Middleton, 37, had perfected the photogenic royal wave and walk (pictured during visit to Northern Ireland in February 2019)
The portrait photographer also suggested The Queen, 93, carries her handbag over her left arm, while her right arm ‘elongates’ her 5′ 4″ figure
Meghan Markle’s smile and the reason she always carries a clutch bag
Meghan Markle’s former career as an actress has almost certainly helped her adapt to life in front of the cameras in the royal family.
Rachell suggested the Duchess of Sussex ‘always has a genuine smile and a twinkle in her eye.’
However she also revealed that Meghan had certain tricks in order to appear more photogenic, including avoiding a ghoulish grin.
She said: ‘To appear more photogenic Meghan never overly smiles. It’s a simple lift of the face with a happy thought.’
The photographer revealed that the Duchess often interacts with others in photographs, like Prince Harry, 35, (pictured at the WellChild Awards in October)
Rachell suggested that Meghan ‘never overly smiles’ but instead ‘lifts her face with a happy thought’ (pictured in Johannesburg in October 2019)
Rachell also pointed out that Meghan often ‘connects’ with people in photographs, looking to Prince Harry, 35, or other people for interactions.
She said: ‘Meghan’s smiles are mostly reactions from her surroundings too, you might often notice her looking at Prince Harry or at other people in photographs’.’
Rachell went on to reveal that Meghan ‘moves naturally’ to create shape in her neck area.
She continued: ‘You can see she doesn’t bend or twist her body much and she keeps her neck long.
The photographer suggested Meghan keeps her neck ‘long’ in photographs and her chin level to the camera in order to create ‘a perfect balance’
‘It’s a good tip to not overdo it and Meghan maintains a good posture, natural to her body shape.’
Rachell added: ‘Notice her shoulders and arms are straight and her chin is level to the camera, not too low or too high, the perfect balance.’
Meanwhile stylist Stacy L Troke pointed to the Duchess’ choice of ‘tonal colour palette’, crediting it for helping her appear more photogenic.
She said: ‘When you wear the same tones of a colour your body is elongated as the eye moves up vertically – anything horizontal will cut off the silhouette.
Meanwhile stylist Stacy L Troke suggested the Duchess of Sussex wore ‘tonal colours’ to elongate her figure (pictured, attending a roundtable discussion for The Queens Commonwealth Trust (QCT) and One Young World at Windsor Castle in October)
‘For example, when Meghan recently wore a burgundy leather skirt with a similar shade burgundy knit, it made her body look very streamlined as opposed to perhaps adding a belt in a different colour, or wearing a knit in cream or white.’
And Rachell also suggested that Meghan carries a clutch bag in order to keep hands and fingers relaxed and ‘with something to do.’
She said: ‘This is a genius trick which Meghan has down to a fine art.’
Kate Middleton’s royal wave and small steps
The portrait photographer suggested Kate Middleton had ‘perfected’ a photogenic royal wave as well as enthusiastically interacting with her environment
While Meghan never ‘overly smiles’, Rachell suggested that the Duchess of Cambridge has looked to the Queen for inspiration and enthusiastically interacts with those around her.
She said: ‘From observing their styles, I think Kate is adapting similar facial expressions and is interacting with her surroundings similar to that of The Queen.
‘Kate is very relaxed and seems to enjoy meeting people’.
Rachell revealed that Kate, like her sister-in-law Meghan Markle, uses ‘great posture’ to give the illusion of confidence in a photograph.
Rachell pointed to the way the Duchess bends her arm, suggesting it appeared ‘friendly’ while keeping her clothes in perfect shape (pictured left, in the summer 2019 and right, November 2019)
The photographer said that Kate had also ‘perfected’ the photographic royal wave technique, and pointed to the placement of her arm, saying: ‘Her arm is the perfect height and elbow slightly bends and her hand is in an upright ‘hi’ gesture.’
She went on to suggest it was a ‘friendly and approachable’ move, which ‘works well in photographs because a simple hand gesture like this is friendly but also keeps Kate’s clothes in the perfect shape.
She added: ‘ Notice how natural she makes it look, her shoulders are relaxed and her hand is level with the middle of her face, this is a great insider tip and Catherine always ensures her hand is not too high or low.’
Rachell also revealed that Kate’s walk may have been adapted in order to appear more photogenic, explaining: ‘Not all photographs are taken still and often captured in motion therefore it is crucial for royals to be feel confident and relaxed when walking.
Meanwhile Rachell also pointed to Kate’s ‘small strides’, suggesting the royal may have adapted her walk to ensure her clothes stay in shape and her figure is elongated (pictured left in October 2019 and right in November 2019)
She pointed to Kate’s ‘small strides’, continuing: ‘Notice how her feet are quite in line with each other and she is not over-stepping which could force her clothes to lose their shape.’
Meanwhile stylist Stacey Troke suggested the royal ‘paid attention with every step to really extend her legs’ to elongate her figure.
She went on: ‘Very good posture is also key when when getting photographed as is shifting weight through your hips from side to side to create three-dimension in the body.’
The Queen’s handbag trick
Stylist Stacey suggested that the Queen’s clothing was tailored to ‘enhance shape in images’, which helps to add height to the royal
Like Kate, Rachell suggested the Queen interacts with her environment, displaying her ‘engaging and fun personality’.
She said: ‘An ‘in the moment’ photo is a great tip if you always want to look natural’.
Meanwhile Stacey revealed the royal’s clothes were tailored to help ‘enhance shape in images’, saying: ‘Clothes that are fitted properly make all the difference in the world. It is especially important for the Queen as she doesn’t have the luxury of height like Kate and Meghan.
She added: ‘The Royals definitely pay attention to sleeve lengths – jackets should never be longer than your first thumb joint, skirt lengths, just the indent of the knee or longer, and garments should be fitted through the waist in order to enhance shape in images.’
Meanwhile Rachell revealed the royal uses a trick with her handbags in order to maintain posture and ‘give a sense of length’
At 5′ 1″, the Queen may not have the tallest of statures, but Rachell suggested she used her handbags to trick the cameras to appear taller.
She said: ‘The Queen holds her hands one on top of the other, mostly always the right holding the left, and because she wears her bag over her left arm she is able to lead with her right hand.
‘This top tip helps to maintain posture and gives her a sense of length for photographs.’
