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Wednesday December 25, 2024

Prince Harry in discomfort as Meghan Markle recalls Royal Lodge meeting

Meghan reminisces about her first meeting with the late Queen in Netflix series

By Web Desk
June 01, 2024
Meghan was introduced to Prince Harrys late grandmother, the Queen, in Royal Lodge
Meghan was introduced to Prince Harry's late grandmother, the Queen, in Royal Lodge

Prince Harry felt uncomfortable as Meghan Markle re-enacted meeting that took place at the Royal Lodge.

Shortly after they started dating, Meghan was introduced to Prince Harry's late grandmother, the Queen, in an unforgettable exchange. In their groundbreaking Netflix series, the Sussexes recounted the circumstances leading to the meeting and the valuable lesson Meghan learned.

The unexpected encounter occurred while the Sussexes were in Windsor to have lunch at Royal Lodge with Princess Eugenie. It was during this occasion that Harry had to instruct his new girlfriend on how to curtsy upon learning that his grandmother was coming over for a visit.

The duke told the programme: "How do you explain that to people? How do you explain that you bow to your grandmother? And that you will need to curtsy. Especially to an American. That's weird." 

While Meghan added: "Now I'm starting to realise 'This is a big deal'. I mean, Americans will understand this… We have medieval times, dinner and tournament. It was like that."

Prince Harry in discomfort as Meghan Markle recalls Royal Lodge meeting

In the show, she then re-enacted they moment an performed a somewhat controversial, awkward and exaggerated curtsy and giggled away as she said: "Pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty" while the camera showed Harry.

And according to body language Judi James, the whole scene left Harry hinting at his "discomfort" as he performs one telling "cut off" gesture in the show. 

She told the Mirror: "Meghan is the more chatty and natural speaker during their interview and here she sits talking confidently and readily in a slightly gossipy style as though talking to a girlfriend she is keen to amuse.

"Her joke is self-effacing as she speaks about her curtesy when she first met the late Queen. Her smile becomes asymmetric, pulling up on one side to register a shared joke. 

Harry, however, is already watching her carefully, turning to gaze at the side of her face with his own facial expression looking less turned to 'fun' than hers.

"Meghan does an extravagant mock-curtsey that does, as she says, look Medieval. It takes her eight seconds to perform, making it a long joke but there is no change in Harry's more serious facial expression until the end, when he lets out a small, mirthless laugh. 

As Meghan mentions 'Your Majesty', the direct reference to the late Queen, it does seem a small step too far for Harry who quickly drops his head down to perform a cut-off ritual that partially hides his face, suggesting some discomfort at this point."