Meghan Markle Had a Brutal 8-Word Remark Over Having to Meet the Public on Her First Royal Tour

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are no longer expected to make royal tours, having stepped down from their duties in 2020. However, during her time as a royal, Markle was required to accompany Prince Harry on official tours. Royal correspondent Valentine Low once revealed that during her first official tour as Duchess, Markle had harsh words about meeting royal fans who had come to interact with her.

Markle, who was pregnant at the time with Prince Archie, spent 16 days touring the countries of Australia, Fiji, Tonga, and New Zealand in 2018. As reported by the Daily Express, Low, in his book Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown, claimed that although Markle ‘enjoyed the attention,’ she didn’t understand the purpose of a royal walkout. He penned, “On the South Pacific tour, Harry and Meghan were going down a storm. Massive crowds were turning out to see them, and Meghan’s refreshingly informal approach to royal visits was proving a hit with the Australian public.” In his book, Low also quoted an insider, who claimed that Markle allegedly told her team, “What are they all doing here? It’s silly,” as fans waited outside the Sydney Opera House.

Low’s bombshell book also revealed that Markle’s former team was not surprised when she quit royal life in 2020. As per Tatler, he wrote, “Those who once worked with her came to be so disillusioned that they began to suspect that even her most heartfelt pleas for help were part of a deliberate strategy… her departure from the royal family.” The author also claimed that the Sussexes ‘escape plans’ from the royal family were laid bare when they took their young son, Archie, on a six-week break to Canada. He added that the Duchess informed one staff member they were 'not coming back' in 2019.

Royal expert and Vanity Fair editor, Tina Brown, also echoed Low’s claims that Markle was abrasive on her first official royal tour with Harry. As reported by the Daily Mail, she wrote in her book, The Palace Papers, “She didn't understand why things were set up in that way. Instead of being excited when thousands of people showed up at the Opera House, it was very much like, 'What's the purpose? I don't understand this.'” A staffer who spoke to Brown claimed that Markle didn't understand the 'representational role' of the British monarchy when they toured, adding that she was more interested in 'causes she wanted to spotlight'.

Markle was pictured having intimate conversations, embracing fans, and accepting gifts on her first royal tour. However, Brown revealed that Markle, behind the scenes, felt ‘snubbed’ by the royal family, over receiving little appreciation when she and Harry returned to the UK. Reportedly, tensions were already brewing within the Palace, especially a growing rift with the Waleses. The Sussexes formally stepped down as senior royals two years later and were stripped of their HRH titles.