Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton Join to Comfort Mourners After Queen Elizabeth's Death
If the British press has beef with Meghan Markle, the people of the U.K. might not. During their reunion moment outside Windsor Castle, taking in the flower tributes to Queen Elizabeth, Markle and Kate Middleton both ended up getting praise for comforting those mourning.
During the appearance outside the Windsor gates, Markle and Middleton walked up to some of the mourners to greet them and offer some hugs. According to The Sun, one girl asked Markle if she could have a hug, which the former duchess didn't hesitate to give. Middleton followed suit, speaking with one young girl about her tears.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry stunned onlookers outside Windsor Castle when he joined his brother William and his wife Kate to meet thousands of mourners – but some appeared to not want to speak or shake hands with the American actress.https://t.co/fsWFV8iUPn
— Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) September 11, 2022
"Hello! Why are you sad?" Middleton asks the young girl. "Are you getting squished? Do you want to go home for some tea? You must be so tired. It's a long day, isn't it?"
Markle was given a bouquet of flowers by the crowd, while Middleton was all smiles and seemed to relay a passing thought by her son Prince Louis about his great-grandmother's passing.
"At least granny is with great grandpa now," the young prince reportedly shared with the new Princess of Wales. Middleton is the first to hold the title since Princess Diana, making the change extra special for her and her husband, Prince William, as both also take a step closer to becoming king and queen themselves.
I’m not a royalist but I want to support a person of colour being bullied and lied about every day. Right wing media on overdrive. A journalist had to retract a story saying only William and Kate stayed to meet mourners. Stay strong Meghan 💪🏽👍🏽👏🏽 RIP Majesty #MeghanMarkle #BLM pic.twitter.com/SXNlCbPciQ
— Cecilia Taylor 🌻 (@LadyGreenwoke) September 11, 2022
The entire showing on Saturday gave many onlookers a feeling that the rift between the royals, specifically Prince Harry and Prince William, took steps toward healing. While reports have continued to indicate there is drama between Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and the rest of the Royal Family, the reality seems somewhere below that. While there is definite controversy, reporting on Middleton and Markle on the night Queen Elizabeth passed away is questionable. Both stayed back due to parenting needs and did not travel to Balmoral castle. Harry did reportedly have to schedule his own flight, but this could also have been blown out of proportion as all involved who flew into Scotland were not present when the queen actually passed.
So it is a minefield, but moments like the appearance together on Saturday help to send a message that while it may seem like the rift is immense, it might not be at the level most media reports want it to stand at.