Harry, Meghan praised for holding hands at Queen Elizabeth II’s service; what do royal protocols say about PDA?
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who were in the UK at the time of Queen Elizabeth II’s passing and decided to extend their trip to participate in the funeral services, were seen holding hands on numerous occasions, while stepping out in public.
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The couple, however, is not new to public displays of affection, and living in the US now with their two children, they have been seen engaging in little PDAs every now and then.
But their affectionate gestures in the UK, during a period of mourning, has made news in the country where the majority of royal family members assume a more conventional and conservative body language when seen in public.
Prince Harry and Meghan look at the floral tributes for the late Queen Elizabeth II. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Netizens, however, are especially praising the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan, for standing her husband, the Duke, who has lost his grandmother.
From left, Britain’s Kate, Princess of Wales, Prince William, Prince of Wales, Prince Harry, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex walk to meet members of the public, at Windsor Castle. (Chris Jackson/Pool Photo via AP)
It started when they were seen making their ‘Fab Four’ reunion appearance, along with the newly-anointed Prince and Princess of Wales, William and his wife Kate Middleton. Dressed in their all-black attire, as per the prescribed dress code, the four royals walked around the Windsor Palace as they looked at the tributes for the late monarch and interacted with the people gathered there.
Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, hold hands as they view the floral tributes for the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Windsor Castle. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Meghan was seen comforting Harry placing a hand on his back, firmly holding his hand while walking outside, and leaving his side only to interact with and comfort other grieving people who had been waiting for them behind the barricades.
The couple was even photographed walking hand-in-hand while exiting the Westminster Hall service for the queen yesterday. They were joined other royal family members such as King Charles III and Camilla, William, Kate, the queen’s other children and grandchildren. While everyone else refrained from holding hands, Harry and Meghan appeared to be a team.
Prince William, Kate, Princess of Wales, Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex walk as the procession with the coffin of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth arrives at Westminster Hall in London. (Phil Noble/Pool Photo via AP)
The queen’s granddaughter Zara Tindall and her husband Mike Tindall also seemed to follow suit.
Take a look at how netizens reacted:
People falling over themselves to criticise Prince Harry and Meghan for holding hands on their way out of the ceremony but not noticing Zara and Mike doing the same. Since when was comforting your husband banned? #MeghanMarkle #DuchessofSussex #PrinceHarry pic.twitter.com/yES7gE53KR
— Carolyn Storey ♿🇬🇧🇺🇦 (@storey_carolyn) September 14, 2022
I love that every time Harry & Meghan appear in public committing the egregious sin on holding hands, hundreds of loveless Karens collectively tell the world how miserable their lives are. Pretty sure you can hear the screeching from space.
— Henry VIII (@SussexHenryVIII) September 14, 2022
What Royal Protocol demands no holding hands at funeral?
Utterly obtuse to be led such inhumane standards & accept lack of affection as a standard to admire the Monarchy
I’ll take Harry and Meghan show of affection any day over the cold fake superiority of British Monarchy
— Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu (@SholaMos1) September 14, 2022
Can someone explain to me why Harry and Meghan holding hands is now becoming an issue?
Had it been William and Kate they’d be praised for it.
This nonsense, please.
— Sam Tabahriti (@samtabahriti) September 14, 2022
All this nonsense about Harry & Meghan holding hands at todays ceremony – two boys once had to walk behind their mothers coffin in a public spectacle that had to be traumatising, nobody held their hand then. Harry is very lucky to have found someone to hold his hand thro life. pic.twitter.com/ccaSpvZUhD
— Jo Foster (@rathjay) September 14, 2022
Wasn’t it a shame that William and Kate weren’t holding hands today. Lovely to see Harry and Meghan doing it though, so sweet.
— Florence 🏴🇺🇦 (@LoxyFlo) September 14, 2022
The reason they can only see Harry and Meghan holding hands & not Zara & Eugenie holding their husband’s hands, is because Meghan is the only person that exs to them.
They don’t see any one else. Their sole reason for being is Meghan. Even a dead Queen won’t dract them. pic.twitter.com/Vd7uS1YGgB
— Alexis( sowing discord in the west) (@ArchewellBa) September 14, 2022
Myka Meier, royal etiquette expert and founder and director of Beaumont Etiquette, was previously quoted as telling People magazine that while “there is no actual etiquette or royal protocol that says the couple must refrain from PDA”, the UK royal family rarely does it.
Prince Harry and Meghan walk inside Westminster Hall in London. (Phil Noble/Pool Photo via AP)
Some years ago, a Daily Mail report had quoted body language expert Robin Kermode as explaining that the queen herself rarely held hands with her husband Prince Philip in public, which may have set an unspoken precedent for other family members.
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