When Meghan Markle’s ‘Sarcastic’ Joke to Kate Was Met With ‘Yawning Silence’ at Trooping the Color

Prince Harry's controversial memoir Spare details his wife's time in the Royal family. One such incident is the tension between Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton during the former's first Trooping the Colour ceremony. Markle donned a baby pink dress and hat for the occasion and stood next to Harry, who was dressed in his military uniform. According to Harry, during the celebration, Markle cracked a joke that the visitors did not find funny. As per The Mirror UK, the incident happened just a few weeks after the much-publicized wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Reflecting on the incident, Harry wrote, “Everyone present was in a good mood...upbeat. But then Kate asked Meg what she thought of her first Trooping the Colour. And Meg joked, 'Colourful,'" as reported by Hello! magazine. This didn't get the reaction that it was supposed to. Harry stated, "A yawning silence threatened to swallow us all whole". Harry also delved into the tensions between Markle and his family, attributing the uncomfortable moment to past issues.

The rift between Middleton and Markle ignited a social media debate back then. Netizens weren't too happy with Markle's answer either. A user explained, "What exactly has Harry’s wife done that can compare to the Trouping of the Color? She could have shown more gratitude than this sarcastic answer." 

In his memoir, Harry also recounted his excitement about finding a partner after being a 'third wheel' to his brother Prince William and Middleton for so long. As reported by Business Insider, he said, "I had put a lot of hope into the idea that it would be William and Kate, and me and whoever. I thought the four of us would, you know, bring me and William closer together, we could go out and do work together, which I did a lot as a third wheel to them, which was fun at times, but also, I guess, kind of awkward at times as well." However, to his surprise, things didn't work out that way, with William and Middleton allegedly 'stereotyping' Markle instead.

He shared, "I don't think they were ever expecting me to get into a relationship with someone like Meghan, who had, you know, a very successful career. There was a lot of stereotyping that was happening, that I was guilty of as well at the beginning." He added, "The way they were acting or behaving, definitely felt to me as though unfortunately that stereotyping was causing a bit of a barrier to welcoming her in."

This year, on Saturday, June 15, Trooping the Colour will have more significance as the House of Windsor is going through one of its most challenging years. Princess Kate is expected to make her first public appearance at the event after her cancer diagnosis. King Charles III who is also battling cancer is 'delighted' to have her join the event.