Resurfaced Video From 2018 Shows Meghan Markle's 'Awkward' Behavior
In 2018, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex embarked on a 16-day official tour of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, and Tonga, their first major overseas trip as a married couple. The Fiji leg of the tour included formal welcome ceremonies, during which Prince Harry and Meghan greeted local officials and members of Fijian services in a protocol-heavy setting. And this detail seems to have sparked much of the online criticism!
For the occasion, Meghan wore a white long-sleeved dress, a matching fascinator-style hat, and carried a black clutch, while Prince Harry looked dapper in a grey suit with a tie and military medals, typical of formal royal tour appearances.
While the couple looked the part, critics say Meghan's behavior in the resurfaced clip didn't quite match. For example, at one point in the clip, she is seen offering handshakes that aren't always reciprocated, awkwardly withdrawing her hands, and appearing unsure of what to do with herself while Prince Harry happily mingled.
Some could argue she was still adjusting to her new life, as the former Suits actress had married into the royal family just months earlier and was still learning her new role as a Duchess. But the internet didn't seem to be feeling particularly forgiving…
Social Media Reactions
The video, posted on December 10th, was captioned: "Notice the instant jaw tension when he doesn't meet her hand. Micro-expressions never lie. #MeghanMarkleExposed #MeghanMarkleIsANarcissist #RevealingTheNarc."
Many X users claimed Meghan appeared uncomfortable and out of her depth, arguing she wasn't a natural fit for formal royal engagements. While Kate Middleton, technically a commoner before marrying Prince William in 2011, has been praised for adapting to the role, Meghan has regularly been accused of not wanting to adapt. X users once again suggested the With Love, Meghan star failed to learn or follow royal protocol, which is one of the many things critics have slammed her for.
"She was so exposed when she briefly worked for the Royal Family. That's why she left so quickly. She looked and felt like a fool, day in, day out," slammed one X user.
"She's so out of her league with no idea how to behave any situation. She certainly wasn't going to take the time to listen and learn from those who know better than her," criticized a second, as a third echoed: "Following protocol never was her intention… this is one of her biggest pet peeves, why she couldn't hack it. For her behaving like a royal she seems to be stuck in the Middle Ages."
"All who've married into the British royal family have followed protocol, learning how to behave, speak, & carry themselves with dignity. Except Markle. She thought she could enter a dynasty & act on her narcissistic whims, completely ignoring protocol & behaving like a fool," observed a fourth, as a fifth said: "Forever socially awkward."
Many others thought she didn't like the fact that Prince Harry seemed to be getting more attention. "She thinks she's the most important person there and discovers she actually isn't!" exclaimed a sixth. "She married a prince and expected to be elevated to the same platform as her husband," agreed a seventh,
An eighth concurred: "What she doesn't understand is that she is just the window dressing, he is the main character." "At what point did she realize she was only an accessory?" asked a ninth, as a tenth thought: "She so [expletive] that she had to walk behind Harry & not next to him, she was literally at one point trying to claw at him to get herself in front, she's such an embarrassment." An eleventh concluded: "No one wants to interact with her, and she's too dumb to understand why."