There are some unusual aspects to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s relationship. They always seem to be very affectionate with each other, often seen kissing in public. Their behavior goes against royal tradition, particularly Harry’s decision to marry Meghan. The conservative British aristocracy disapproves of its members showing affection in public. However, considering the challenges Meghan faced as a royal, such as constant media scrutiny, public criticism, online harassment, and racial discrimination, the disapproval from traditionalists was probably the least of her worries.
It’s safe to say that Meghan didn’t have an easy time in the United Kingdom. So, it’s little surprise that she needs to lean on Harry during the dark days. That said, given the frequency of their PDAs, she seems to lean on Harry during the brighter days, too, which can result in some decidedly uncomfortable moments and interactions. From their cringey kiss cam to their Mandela speech standoff, check out Meghan and Harry’s most awkward PDA moments.
Meghan and Harry’s Global Citizen Live shoulder lean
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex looked like she’d rather be anywhere else in the world than standing on stage during the September 2021 Global Citizen Live event in New York City. She looked super awkward leaning on Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex’s shoulder, as he held a microphone and grinned unconvincingly.
It’s hardly surprising that Meghan Markle appeared uncomfortable as she had given birth to the couple’s daughter, Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, just three months before. During a South by Southwest panel in March 2024, Meghan shared she’d been subjected to horrendous bullying throughout her pregnancy. “To really wrap your head around why people would be so hateful,” she said. “It’s not catty, it’s cruel. Why would you do that?”
Meghan wasn’t exaggerating about the level of abuse aimed at both her and Harry. A January 2022 report from Bot Sentinel found the couple was the focus of a targeted social media hate campaign, with the majority of comments aimed at Meghan and many using coded racist language. The analytics service determined that a used named Yankee Wally orchestrated the operation along with a group they co-founded, MeWe, to which Meghan’s half-sister, Samantha Markle, belonged. “Several members of the group often created derogatory memes to share outside of the group on Twitter and Instagram,” Bot Sentinal shared. “The group would be a catalyst of a coordinated and sustained smear campaign targeting Harry and Meghan and spanning multiple social media platforms.”
Meghan and Harry’s cringey kiss cam
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex were all smiles as they sat in the stands at the Crypto Arena in Los Angeles to watch the LA Lakers beat the Memphis Grizzlies 117-111 in April 2023. Not surprisingly, the camera sought out and focused in on the celeb couple, who were smiling and waving at passersby. Harry leaned in for a sneaky kiss when he noticed they were the center of attention. But a laughing Meghan Markle seemingly dissed him, turning her head away and leaving Harry hanging. Awkward.
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The clip went viral, and surprise, surprise, online media comment sections blew up.
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“Harry is in a period of sustained devaluation so there was no way she was going to kiss him, instead it was an opportunity to bring him under control,” a MailOnline reader griped. “Who does that if they love each other? My husband would’ve chased the photographers for miles and would take his film out!! Yes, film!! He’d cover me with anm,” another claimed. “She was caught out by the Kiss-cam and wasn’t [sic] prepared to put on an act for the camera. He was reverting to his old playful ways while she was having none of it. Shes [sic] cold and calculating and this shows that hes [sic] there to suit her agenda and only for as long as she wants,” fumed a third.
Meghan and Harry’s funeral faux pas
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex can’t do right for doing wrong. Either they’re not affectionate enough, or they’re too affectionate for royal fans’ tastes. The couple unwittingly created negative headlines again in September 2022 when they attended Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral. Their offense? Holding hands as they left Westminster Abbey following the ceremony.
A tearful Harry’s family pretty much shunned them, and Meghan knew the world’s press and internet trolls were watching her every move, so you would think they would be forgiven for clinging to each other for moral support. However, Daily Mail readers went into a nuclear meltdown because, of course, they did. “This is a distraction to others when the focus should be on the occasion,” one affronted reader wrote. “They were filing out of a formal and solemn occasion. Totally inappropriate but got them the photo op and media coverage they crave making it all about them again,” another fumed. “Inappropriate for the occasion. They always want to be different … rather than do what is appropriate,” a third chimed in.
Meanwhile, no negative press inches were attributed to Anne, Princess Royal’s daughter, Zara Tindall, holding hands with her husband, Mike Tindall. Instead, she evoked sympathy in readers. “Zara has lost her beloved grandmother to whom she was very close. They held hands for moments, she needed the comfort … You can see she is close to tears,” a commenter opined.
Meghan and Harry’s uncomfortable concert interaction
Beyoncé fans were thrilled to spot Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex mingling with the crowd at California’s SoFi Stadium in September 2023. Meghan and Harry, accompanied by her mom, Doria Ragland, and friend, Abigail Spencer, were there to catch an LA performance of Queen B’s Renaissance world tour. An excited onlooker caught the couple on camera and uploaded the video to TikTok. “Just casually walking to my seat and seeing these two nbd,” they captioned the clip.
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While Lorde’s “Royals” plays, Meghan, arm outstretched, holding Harry’s hand, presents the group’s tickets to security. As she talks to the man, Meghan dismisses Harry, turning her back on him, releasing his hand, and tucking her hair behind her ear. His arm is left hanging, so he reaches up and scratches his nose before turning and laughing awkwardly.
HARRY AND MEGHAN HOLDING HANDS😍
And Harry is all smiles😌 pic.twitter.com/46qExYNoQm— Katerina 🇺🇦 (@Le__Katerina) September 2, 2023
The TikTok comments were all warm and fuzzy. However, it was a different scenario on X, formerly Twitter, where it was icy and dark. “Poor Harry is out of his depth,” a hater wrote. “He don’t wanna be there,” another commented on a separate video of the couple boogying in their box. “The face of regret,” a third opined.
Meghan and Harry’s hand-holding battle
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex’s most awkward PDA moment was their July 2022 Nelson Mandela Day hand-holding battle. The couple is usually hyper-conscious of cameras, but in this instance, they were caught unawares, and the result was … well … awkward.
Meghan reached over and held Harry’s hand, resting on his leg. However, he immediately pushed her away. Meghan was having none of it, though. She grabbed Harry’s arm, pulled it towards her, and firmly held his hand again, resting it on her leg. An agitated Harry refused to look at Meghan as he sat, gritting his teeth and clenching his fist. He freed his hand again, and a resigned Meghan settled for stroking his arm instead.
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Something is very wrong here.#SussexBrandRIP pic.twitter.com/5rmc2zGI5f
— ROXANNE💮 (@RoxanneReaction) July 18, 2022
Meghan haters had a field day. “He needs a way out. She has closed all his options, isolated him from his family. But it looks like he’s growing more defiant. Her grip of control is loosening,” one claimed on X. “He looks disturbingly forlorn. His 35 years of running life on his own terms has crashed,” another chimed in. However, there were a few sympathetic voices. “It appears that they just had a marital argument. Just let them be. She’s holding back tears, he’s mad and sad. Let them be human and allow them to be healthy and learn from their mistakes and grow. I’m glad my husband and I can raise our family in peace. Help them find peace,” a kindly soul wrote.