Meghan Markle’s Royal Training Involves Preparing for a Hostage Situation

Being a princess isn’t exactly a fairy tale, as anyone who’s watched The Crown knows. For Meghan Markle, part of it requires preparing for the less than flashy reality of it. Even before her engagement to Prince Harry was announced, details of her royal training have bubbled up and the latest has less to do with poise and mannerisms than it does with potentially life-endangering situations. Specifically, Markle is reportedly learning how to navigate a hostage situation, TMZ reports.

In the event that Markle was kidnapped, the British Special Air Service will have trained her to not only break free of physical constraints like duct tape or zip ties, but also how to psychologically manipulate her captors and how to use coded “micro-expressions” such as subtle words and “other signals to let either her family or law enforcement know if she’s under duress,” as Scott Jones, director of the London security firm Garvian told TMZ. It is not unusual for an English royal to undergo this training as Meghan Markle’s late mother-in-law Princess Diana reportedly underwent it as well.

Add Markle’s hostage training to the list of expertise Meghan will have come her wedding to Prince Harry at St. George’s Chapel in the Windsor Castle next May. Back in October, a report surfaced that revealed Markle had been brushing up on British manners in preparation, with help from her fiancé. “He knows how daunting this will be for Meghan and he’s keen for her to be relaxed in the company of senior royals,” royal writer Katie Nicholl told the Post. “Harry will have made sure Meghan knew how to address the Queen and how to behave in her presence.”

Markle has made princess training her priority since her relationship with Prince Harry became more official. That has even included her retiring from acting, as she revealed last month. “What’s been so exciting [transitioning] out of my career and into, as you said, the causes I can focus even more energy on, very early out of the gate, [is that you] have a voice that people listen to, a lot of responsibility,” she said, “There’s a lot to do.”