Poised on a chair before a group of American students, who are hanging off her every word, Myka Meier leans forward and lets them into a secret.
The magic, she explains conspiratorially, comes from the knees and ankles.
As the 30 students take notes, watching intently, Mrs Meier reveals the essence of “The Duchess Slant” – a seating style she deems the epitome of elegance.
To achieve posture worthy of the Duchesses of Cambridge or Sussex – Meghan Markle, one of their own, of course – knees and ankles must be kept together, with the lower legs elegantly tilted to one side. It is a term she coined, which is now taught by many etiquette teachers.
Think “Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal,” she urges….