Meghan, Duchess of Sussex is a prolific writer and speaker, an innately stylish dresser and a passionate activist and philanthropist. But, did you also know that Meghan has another not-so-well kept secret: her handwriting is stunning. It’s so incredible that the former Suits actress used to make money as a professional calligrapher on the side when she was first starting out in Hollywood. That’s right, there are tons of couples out there who had the future duchess write their wedding invitations and they didn’t even know it. (It’s also not a bad living, if you ask us: according to The Knot, calligraphers can charge up to $5 an invite.)
Before she swept Prince Harry off his feet, Meghan’s Instagram bio read that she was a lover of handwritten notes. And she even spoke about her love of writing and notes in an interview with Good Housekeeping way before her jump across the pond. “I love the art of the handwritten note, I think it’s a really lost art form,” Meghan said in the interview. “Doesn’t have to be a long note. It’s the idea that somebody took time to put pen to paper that I think really matters.”
As with body language, handwriting analysis can say a lot about a person, especially if their style changes over the years. So SheKknows asked Sheila Lowe, a forensic handwriting examiner and author, to study the Duchess of Sussex’s handwriting for any insights she may give about the new royal. We sent Lowe photos and videos of Meghan to see what she could glean.
During a 2013 interview with Larry King along with her Suits husband Patrick J. Adams, Meghan demonstrated her skill with extra flourishes thrown in, shocking the veteran interviewer. “I went to an all-girls Catholic school, handwriting class was one of those lost arts,” Meghan says as she swiftly writes King an example.
What does Lowe think about it? “Calligraphy is by its nature stylized and is all about appearances. Someone who chooses a calligraphy form of writing, then, cares about how they come across,” she says in a correspondence with SheKnows. She adds: “Meghan’s beautiful writing has many flourishes that on one hand draw attention to her, but on the other, there is a formality that also keeps a distance. What this tells us is, Meghan wants to project an image of beauty, perfection and uniqueness, which serves to hide some insecurity.”
During her Suits days, the new mother also gifted a devoted fan with some delicious macarons and a truly touching thank you card. But beyond the niceties, look at that handwriting!
@gelserougi2 pic.twitter.com/5ocShfMViP
— emily sorrells (@dinosorrells) March 20, 2016
“The degree of control seen in this handwriting reveals a woman of strong emotion who works to hold back the tide and only show what she wants others to see,” Lowe says. “She is comfortable in the spotlight because she has control over her image. Her warmth and willingness to be a friend are see in the way her writing slants strongly to the right.
One thing to note about Meghan’s handwriting and signature, Lowe stresses, is how it has changed since her marriage to Harry last year. “The change in her signature reflects a greater need for privacy, which makes sense, given her life now under the microscope,” she says. The Duchess of Sussex dropped her maiden name, now going only by “Meghan,” as Prince Harry is wont to do.
Her autograph now went from this:
To this:
“Just using her first name, as of course Prince Harry does, allies her with him. The change in her signature after her marriage suggest an identification with her husband, an aligning herself with him,” Lowe also said of the duchess’ tweaked writing style.
However her writing style has changed and evolved, one thing is certain: the new mom is surely enjoying her love of note writing as she no doubt pens the hundreds of thank you cards following baby Archie’s recent birth. If Oprah and Amal Clooney got you baby gifts, you would also rush to the nearest pen and paper.
