Prince Harry and Meghan Markle packed on the PDA in pictures and videos from their date night at the David Foster Foundation’s 40th-anniversary gala in Victoria, Canada, although some social media users weren’t convinced by the loved-up display and branded it “forced” and “staged.”
The former Suits actress shared some glimpses from the Friday, August 7th, gala on Instagram the following day, marking the couple’s first joint public appearance since returning from the U.K. Their affectionate display comes amid ongoing divorce rumors and reports of trouble in paradise, with everything from Prince Harry’s desire to reconnect with the royal family to his recent legal loss reportedly causing tension behind closed doors.
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Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Pack On The PDA At Canada Gala
The As Ever founder, who turned 45 earlier this month, shared the post with her 4.7M followers on August 8th, seemingly showing fans that she and her husband are still very much loved-up.
The mom-of-two captioned the post with a Canada flag emoji and a red heart emoji. The first picture showed her and Prince Harry dressed in eveningwear and posing closely together for a sweet selfie. Meghan looked glamorous in a black one-shoulder evening gown by Canadian label Greta Constantine, which she accessorized with diamond and sapphire earrings that once belonged to Princess Diana. She wore her dark brunette locks in an elegant low bun, while the Spare author complemented her in a classic black tuxedo.
The second slide featured a video of the couple walking hand in hand past musicians dressed in traditional Scottish pipe band uniforms and playfully flirting with each other. Meghan could be seen beaming and clapping her hands as she told the musicians: "My husband loves bagpipes." Harry then jokingly asked the ensemble, "Where are mine?" before clarifying, "Pipes and drums, to be clear. Pipes and drums."
Fans Are Divided Over Prince Harry And Meghan Markle's Loved-Up Display
Many fans couldn't get enough of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's date night: "They look amazing," raved one fan on Instagram. "The jealousy and envy is real," said a second. "Real Prince & Princess! Always good soul, intentional & passionate," gushed a third, followed by fire, red heart and heart eyed emojis. "Prince Harry & Meghan looking fab," raved a fourth, followed by a heart eyes emoji, as a fifth called them "the most gorgeous couple."
However, it wasn't all positive, as other social media users were less convinced by their loved-up display. "Mr and Mrs grifter," criticized one user, as a second wrote: "Yawn. These two are mid at best." "Huh attention seeking again," added a third.
Several others went even further and accused the couple of putting on a "forced" or "staged" show for the cameras, seemingly referencing the long-running rumors about the state of their marriage. "What a fake smile," claimed one critic. "They look like they're embracing, look closer, they're holding one another at arms length," observed a second.
"Pretend for the camera! This way please, fakers! Thank you. Next…." commented a third, as a fourth said their interaction looked "so forced." "This looks so staged," agreed a fifth, while a sixth said: "Poor Harry. When was the last time I seen him smile?"
Rumors Of Trouble In Prince Harry And Meghan Markle's Marriage
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's latest appearance comes amid yet another wave of reports suggesting there could be trouble in paradise, although marriage-rift rumors have followed them for years and there are no reports of a split or divorce just yet.
According to the Daily Express, TalkTV host Kevin O'Sullivan recently suggested that Harry's expensive legal battles could be one source of friction between the pair. "We know they're struggling for cash. Meghan told Harry quite a long time ago. Look, give up this battle with the newspapers. Don't do it," O'Sullivan, who regularly comments on the couple, claimed.
"So she is right now, trust me, folks, pretty furious with her hopeless husband. That's a lot of flower sprinkles she's going to have to sell to put up with her husband," he added, in reference to her infamous flower sprinkles that have appeared on With Love, Meghan and are also for sale from her As Ever lifestyle brand.
And money reportedly isn't the only thing the couple has disagreed on recently. According to Heat World, Meghan and Harry have allegedly not been on the same page since returning from their recent trip to the U.K., where they reportedly took their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, to Highgrove House for a long-awaited reunion with their grandfather, King Charles, and Queen Camilla.
While Harry is reportedly eager to continue rebuilding his relationship with his father, Meghan was allegedly frustrated by how the visit played out. "She's relieved to have the trip behind her and is in no mood to keep groveling when she feels she was treated so badly," an insider claimed.
Harry has also reportedly encouraged his wife to "embrace the spirit of forgiveness" and keep the dialogue going with the royal family by sending family photos and gift baskets – but Meghan allegedly found the idea "extremely belittling." The source alleged: "Fact is, Harry isn't defending her like he used to and that stings. She wants and expects a lot more from him in that regard and finds it disturbing and depressing that he's not putting her first."
