Out of all the things that the Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle is known for, the one aspect that highlighted her during her time in the UK was her outspoken nature and straightforwardness. There had been quite a few instances where the Duchess had rubbed feathers with the royal family for going out of the books. Given her Hollywood lifestyle back in California, the Duchess did not have it easy to fit in the mold of the royal family and their sophisticated etiquette. In fact, there were instances where certain remarks by the former actress made the family uncomfortable. 

In the hype of the King’s ‘Trooping The Colours’, one such instance dates back to the time when Markle also attended the royal spectacle as a senior member of the House of Windsor. As reported by Independent, the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, took to his tell-all memoir, Spare to reveal what were the consequences of what Markle thought was a mere joke. He reflected on the year when the couple attended their first Trooping The Colour as newlyweds. 

As they appeared at the famous Buckingham Balcony to witness the regal flypast, everyone was in high spirits. “Good mood and upbeat” prevailed among the family. However, the spirits were short-lived as the mood switched soon after Markle cracked a joke. As the story goes, the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, asked the Duchess about her first thought about the Trooping The Colour event. To this, Markle jokingly replied with a one-word answer, “colourfull”. 

The joke made it awkward for the members as Prince Harry wrote, “and a yawning silence threatened to swallow us all whole.” Nonetheless, he did not expect the awkward exchange since it was just a few days after the Queen was seen spilling a hearty laughter with the Duchess. 

However, fast-forward to 2023, situations are drastically different at the current Trooping The Colour occasion. 

Absence of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle glared at the Trooping The Colour

King Charles as he embarked on his first ever Trooping The Colour as the Monarch. The palace premises basked in the Union colors as the military parade echoed through the streets. The next-in-line to the throne, Prince William served his duties as the Colonel of the Welsh Guards. All in all, the Wales family was seen in high spirits with the other senior members of the royal family. 

However, the King skipped inviting his estranged family to the event. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle received no invitation for the grand occasion. The last Sussex appearance for any royal occasion was the King’s coronation. Nonetheless, it was just Prince Harry alone attending the spectacle. His wife Meghan Markle stayed back at California with their kids. 

What is your opinion about the Duchess’ reply to the Princess?