Meghan Markle's One-Word Response to Kate Middleton Left Everyone Speechless at Trooping the Color
Meghan Markle tried to make a clever quip on her first-ever Trooping the Color but it didn't quite land the way she would have expected.
Meghan Markle may not get along with other royal family members now, but when she first entered the royal fold in 2016, she joined Prince Harry, Prince William, and Kate Middleton to form the ‘Fab Four.’ While the quartet abruptly broke off in 2020, when the Sussexes left the royal family and moved to the US, it seems that tensions had always been brewing behind the scenes. It could be because of cultural differences or miscommunication, but Markle didn’t quite fit in with William and Middleton.
When Harry released his bombshell memoir, Spare, in 2023, it revealed many sensational details of their time in the UK that many people were obviously unaware of. He recalled several instances when Markle shared awkward moments with his older brother and sister-in-law, which may or may not have contributed to their rift. One such incident occurred during the former "Suits" star’s first Trooping the Color appearance in 2018.
The Sussexes had just returned from their honeymoon, and Harry had described the atmosphere at the event as “good” and “upbeat”. Trooping the Color is a major event in the royal calendar, as it marks the monarch’s official birthday, and it was also Markle’s first royal engagement. So naturally, Middleton asked her about her experience at the ceremony. But the latter’s response seemed to create a tense situation. “Kate asked Meg what she thought of her first Trooping the Colour. And Meg joked: Colourful,” Harry wrote as per Hello!, before adding, “And a yawning silence threatened to swallow us all whole.”
When Harry and Markle arrived at the ceremony in a carriage, they were greeted with huge crowds gathered at the Mall to catch a glimpse of the royal family. Although the Duchess of Sussex looked poised as she waved to them, in reality, she might have been rather nervous. As the couple stood at the Buckingham Palace balcony, Harry was seen checking in with his wife. He made sure she knew exactly what to do, and as per The Mirror, lipreaders even caught him asking Markle, “Okay?”. She reportedly replied, “Yeah, are you?” Harry told her he was.
The newlyweds looked stunning at their first official engagement after their dreamy wedding. Markle wore a beautiful off-the-shoulder blush Carolina Herrera dress with button embellishments. She completed her look with a matching Philip Treacy hat. As for Harry, he had opted for his dapper military uniform for the event.
The Sussexes attended Trooping the Color again in 2019, marking their final appearance at the event. One year later, they departed from the UK, leaving a trail of strained relationships in their wake.
