Meghan Markle, Prince Harry’s Nervous Reaction to Final Royal Engagement Goes Viral
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry appeared nervous upon sitting among their family members during their final engagement as senior royals in March of 2020. The unsettling moment has since gone viral on TikTok.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly felt distant from the royal family
In the Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan, the couple discussed the events that led them to leave their senior royal roles in March 2020.
Meghan and Harry announced they were leaving royal life behind in January 2020. They performed their final visit as working royals at Commonwealth Day, at Westminster Abbey, in London, in March 2020.
Footage of the couple at Westminster Abbey shows them sitting among other family members. In a voiceover, Meghan says, “The first time we saw the other members of the family in public was at Westminster Abbey.”
“We were nervous seeing the family,” Harry added. “Because all the TV cameras and everyone watching at home and everybody watching in the audience. It’s like living through a soap opera where everybody else views you as entertainment.”
He concluded, “I felt really distant from the rest of my family which was interesting because so much of how they operate is about what it looks like rather than what it feels like. And it looked cold. But it also felt cold.”
In the video clips, the tension in Harry’s face is palatable. Meghan attempts to smile for the cameras, but she too is caught looking nervous.
Harry and Meghan wanted more independence
Tensions between Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and the royal family came to head after the couple declared they wanted more independence from their restrictive roles. They wanted a semi-permanent royal role.
However, Queen Elizabeth didn’t believe that was an appropriate alternative for the couple in their roles as senior royals. She said in a statement, “Though we would have preferred them to remain full-time working Members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.”
The queen released a second statement after Harry and Meghan decided to move full-time to America. It read, “Following conversations with the duke, The queen has written confirming that in stepping away from the work of the royal family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service. The honorary military appointments and royal patronages held by the duke and duchess will therefore be returned to her majesty, before being redistributed among working members of the royal family.”
Where do Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stand with the royal family today?
As of now, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have a somewhat strained relationship with the royal family, marked by both public distance and some private communication. They no longer participate in official family engagements.
The couple’s relationship with the royal family has been affected by several public statements. These include remarks made during an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Harry’s memoir Spare, and their Netflix documentary.
In all of these cases, Harry and Meghan shared their grievances and challenges within the family. This reportedly strained ties further with certain family members, particularly Prince William.
Harry and Meghan last visited the United Kingdom and met with members of the royal family in September 2022 upon Queen Elizabeth’s death. Subsequently, Harry has returned to the U.K. on several occasions, including his father’s coronation and upon learning of King Charles’ cancer diagnosis.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle live in Montecito, California with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
