Prince Harry once revealed that an apparently harmless joke Meghan Markle made to Kate Middleton during her first Trooping the Colour event was followed by what he described as an uncomfortable silence.
The moment was detailed in Harry’s bestselling memoir Spare, where he reflected on tensions and awkward dynamics inside the royal family during the early days of Meghan’s introduction into royal life.
Meghan Markle’s First Trooping the Colour
Meghan attended her first Trooping the Colour ceremony in 2018, just weeks after marrying Prince Harry at Windsor Castle.
According to Harry, the atmosphere among the royals initially seemed positive and relaxed as the family gathered for King Charles’ annual birthday parade, which at the time was still held during Queen Elizabeth II’s reign.
Harry wrote that Kate Middleton asked Meghan what she thought of her first Trooping the Colour experience.
Meghan reportedly responded with a simple one-word joke: “Colourful.”
Harry Says the Response Was Met With Silence
According to the Duke of Sussex, the joke was followed by an unexpectedly awkward pause.
“A yawning silence threatened to swallow us all whole,” Harry wrote in Spare while describing the interaction.
The brief exchange later became one of several moments Harry referenced while discussing what he viewed as uncomfortable dynamics within the royal family and intense media scrutiny surrounding Meghan’s arrival.
Harry Blamed Media Pressure for Royal Tensions
Before releasing his memoir in 2023, Harry argued in television interviews that the British press played a major role in creating competition and tension between Meghan and Kate.
Speaking with ITV journalist Tom Bradby, Harry claimed media coverage often framed the two women as rivals, especially after Meghan entered royal life and received widespread public attention.
“If you’re the new kids on the block and you come in and you’re stealing the limelight,” Harry said, “the British press have decided for you.”
The Duke has repeatedly suggested that press narratives contributed to deeper divisions within the family over time.
The Sussexes Remain Distant From Royal Events
Relations between Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and the rest of the royal family have remained strained since the couple stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and relocated to California.
Although Harry has publicly expressed interest in reconciliation, he has also acknowledged that major issues remain unresolved.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are not expected to attend this year’s Trooping the Colour ceremony, continuing a pattern that has remained in place since they stopped serving as working royals.
Under King Charles III, Buckingham Palace has also limited the famous balcony appearance to working members of the royal family as part of the monarch’s “slimmed-down” vision for the institution.
Royal Tensions Continue Drawing Public Attention
Even years after stepping away from royal duties, Harry and Meghan’s relationship with the monarchy continues to generate intense public interest.
Moments described in Spare, including seemingly minor interactions like Meghan’s joke to Kate, have fueled ongoing debate among royal watchers about the true nature of tensions behind palace walls.
