Meghan Markle details 'jarring' moment she first met William and Kate

8 December 2022, 13:01

The Duchess of Sussex said that she first met Prince William and Kate Middleton when they visited her and Prince Harry for dinner
The Duchess of Sussex said that she first met Prince William and Kate Middleton when they visited her and Prince Harry for dinner. Picture: Netflix/Getty
Alice Dear

By Alice Dear

The Duchess of Sussex spoke openly about her first meeting with the Prince and Princess of Wales in her and Prince Harry's new Netflix documentary.

Meghan Markle, 41, has detailed the moment she first met Prince William, 40, and Kate Middleton, 40, for the first time.

The Duchess of Sussex opened up about meeting the royal couple in her and Prince Harry's bombshell Netflix documentary, of which three episodes have been released onto the streaming service.

During the second episode, the former Suits actress explained that she first met Kate when she came over for dinner with William.

Meghan said that for the dinner she was wearing ripped jeans and was barefoot, and explained that she quickly started to realise that the "formality" which the Royal Family showed to the outside world "carried through on the inside".

Meghan Markle says in the documentary that she is a 'hugger' and that it can be 'jarring' for 'a lot of Brits'
Meghan Markle says in the documentary that she is a 'hugger' and that it can be 'jarring' for 'a lot of Brits'. Picture: Netflix

The mum-of-two said in the documentary: "Even when Will and Kate came over, and I had met her for the first time, they came for dinner.

"I remember I was in ripped jeans and I was barefoot. I was a hugger, always being a hugger.

"I didn't realise that that is really jarring for a lot of Brits."

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the last time they were in the UK, reading flowers and tributes to the Queen alongside the Prince and Princess of Wales
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the last time they were in the UK, reading flowers and tributes to the Queen alongside the Prince and Princess of Wales. Picture: Getty

She went on: "I guess I started to understand very quickly that the formality on the outside, carried through on the inside.

"That there is a forward-facing way of being, and then you close the door and you are like 'Oh, great. Okay, we can relax now.'

"But that formality carries over on both sides, and that was surprising to me."

Prince Harry tells the Netflix documentary makers that the Royal Family's judgement was 'clouded' by the fact Meghan Markle was an American actress
Prince Harry tells the Netflix documentary makers that the Royal Family's judgement was 'clouded' by the fact Meghan Markle was an American actress. Picture: Netflix

In the episode, the couple continued to share rare insights into their time within the Royal Family, including the reactions Meghan received when she first started meeting Harry's family.

Prince Harry said: "I remember my family first meeting her and being incredibly impressed, some of them didn't quite know what to do with themselves.

"They were surprised that the ginger could land such a beautiful woman and such an intelligent woman."

He went on: "But the fact that I was dating an American actress, was probably what clouded their judgement more than anything else in the beginning."

You can watch the first three episodes of Harry & Meghan on Netflix now.

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