It’s only been two months since the Royal Wedding and I’m already exhausted by the British media’s nitpicking of Meghan. It’s like death by a thousand papercuts: they think if they completely lie about non-existent “protocol” and then claim that Meghan is “breaking” said protocol, then maybe Meghan won’t be so popular? I don’t know, I don’t really have a theory that explains all of this other than “a lot of this British rags are racist.” So for this week’s Meghan Totally Broke Protocol, We Swear story is about how Meghan brought a hat to Wimbledon. For real. That’s the story.
Meghan Markle is still adjusting to life as a royal — and all the rules that come with it. Over the weekend, the Duchess of Sussex made her first appearance at Wimbledon as a member of the royal family, wearing a blue-and-white striped button-down shirt and white silk pants, both by Ralph Lauren. The 36-year-old, however, almost committed a fashion faux pas when it came to her choice of headwear.
Markle was seen carrying a wide-brimmed fedora — the very same hat she wore to watch pal Serena Williams play in the same tournament in 2016 — but not actually wearing it, due to royal protocol. According to The Sun, spectators in the royal box are asked to “dress smartly” and men are advised to wear a jacket and tie. All are reportedly banned from any type of headwear, as it might obstruct other guests’ views, although hats are permitted in other parts of the stadium.
Seated in the front row of the royal box next to Kate Middleton, Markle simply held her accessory in her lap while watching Williams face off against Angelique Kerber. It seems Markle is taking extra precautions to avoid breaking royal fashion protocol.
The general rule is “don’t wear a gigantic hat that might block someone’s view.” That’s the rule of life, of general seating arrangements, of being a member of the human race. There is no protocol and rule for people seated in the Royal Box about never, ever wearing a hat. You know how I know? Because Benedict Cumberbatch was seated in the Royal Box and he wore a hat the entire time. And I can’t believe – no, I can believe it – that sites are actually pointing out that Meghan simply carried a hat in her hand and never put it on in the Royal Box, and somehow she was in terrible danger of breaking the SACRED HAT PROTOCOL.
Photos courtesy of Backgrid and Getty.
The seer crime of it – lock her in the tower at once!
Ha! Though I think she may have the power to put them in the tower now. (along with her pain in the ass father)
In that case – lock them in the tower and throw away the key!
But it’s said in THE RULES you MAY wear a fedora. They’re talking about some of those huge creations some women wear. Meg definitely could’ve put on her hat. She chose not to. Maybe she didn’t want to give the protestors more ammunition … who knows. But she could’ve worn it, if she chose to.
What about her nipple in the trench coat? That’s more of a breach than this.
You would think their backs would hurt from all that reaching. But I guess racism is a soothing tonic for them that hides the pain.
Exactly ^^
They don’t have to be racist – the celebrity gossip/rag media LIVE to tear down celebrities. It doesn’t have to be racism every single freaking time.
Benedict C was wearing a hat in the royal box and it wasn’t mentioned so yea… tell me that doesn’t have a hint of racism to it. Micro-managing people of color is quite popular amongst racist. I’m surprised the cops weren’t called.
Yeah ok. Well I guess we’ll just have to wait for Her Majesty’s Royal Hat Police and Scotland Yard to do their job and detain and deport her.
I guess there’s so many scary difficult things going on in the world that some people are coping by pouring their anger into creating an issues about this kind of dog whistle minutia.
I’m just waiting for TQ to show up, wearing a fedora! Honestly, like Kaiser said, it’s only TWO MONTHS!!! Dear God, SHE’S IN THE FIRM! GIVE IT A REST HATERS! (Sorry for shouting…it’s just so frustrating lol).
They said she “almost” breached protocol, which means she didn’t, and that she took “extra precautions” not to do so. I don’t see what the problem is, she might have wanted to wear that hat at some other point in the day.
She did wear the hat that day. She was wearing it when she got in the car to leave Wimbledo.
Right. So it’s understandable that she carried it and she knew enough not to wear it in the box.
Other royals have worn hats in the royal box, as have Pippa and Carole iirc.
I think she’s going the extra mile, trying to be correct. She wants to fit in and do a good job, and even try to abide by these arcane rules and traditions. The BRF is extremely lucky to have her.
Frankly, the British rags keeping writing this shit because we keep buying/clicking on it. I’m a little surprised by how many people on this blog seem to make reference to things seen on the daily mail, for example. As long as we keep buying it, they will keep selling it.
And yes, British redtops are notoriously racist and hateful.
I swear, the press is going to knit-pick literally every move this woman makes for the rest of her life. They might even accuse her of breathing the wrong way! FFS we have more real problems in the world to be worried about. SMH till it hurts…
You know what? F*ck it. YOU GO BREAK ALL THE PROTOCOL, MEG. I’M HERE FOR YOU.
Lol.
British tabloids are so pressed because the American biracial Meghan is loved. BBC tennis reported that Saturday at Winbledon people were chanting “Meghan” when she and Kate arrived. She’s loved and these racists and classist tabloids should get over it.
I knew they were going to pick her apart, it’s what they do. And I think she’s smart enough to know what she was up against. She’s just doing her thing, carrying on and looking happy (despite what her father says).
They treated Fergie horrible back in the day because she didn’t meet their standards.
I wish to hell they’d ignore her father, but money, you know?
Yes. I wrongly thought her father would shut his trap after the wedding because he really had nothing new to say. Sadly it didn’t stop him.
And here everyone was worried about her pants!
Her, “Keep On Truckin'” pants.
It’s arguable that racism is playing a role in the press obsession with protocol. Also anti-Americanism. Whatever hostilities may lurk beneath the fixation on Meghan, it’s idiotic. I mean, come on! This is what the british rags DO, they have no other purpose. Meg is just fresh meat for them. Which is pretty pathetic.
It is, but its other things as well her being American is a big one, her being divorced, etc. They have smeared other wives as well, Fergie as an example. They dragged her constantly for her social mistakes especially when she began putting on weight. British tabloids are atrocious.
Honestly I don’t think that it would matter who Harry married, this was always how the press was going to treat his wife. They treated Fergie similarly compared to the Great and Magnificent Diana (well Meghan hasn’t seen anything yet compared to the horrible treatment Fergie got). Its the fate of their heir and the spare, even Prince Philip and Lord Snowdon weren’t safe. Meghan being a biracial American is just a bonus.
What they want to say but won’t is that meghan isn’t who they thought harry would marry they expected someone like cressida.I have never seen this many articles on breaking protocol.Where was all this protocol breaking when kate was flashing &cancelling engagements to get her hair done.The press can’t stand that Meghan is everything that they have tried and failed to build kate up to be.So they want to tear meghan down and build up kate as the perfect duchess.Its a shame really Meghan is doing a wonderful job while the Markles and the press work together trying to trash her.
The media are desperately reaching for click bait regarding Meghan…and you found a way to blame Kate?
It’s not Kate’s fault, it’s press’ fault. IMO, what the press are doing is in line with what they did to Kate, but the added racism makes it worse.
Kate has been savaged by the media and their treatment of Cressida is why she broke up with Harry. She couldn’t take all the negative attention and stalking. I remember the Sarah Ferguson treatment too. It’s racism, anti Americanism re Meghan sure but a whole lot of sexism and misogyny too.
They were horrible to Fergie, especially when she gained weight. I remember feeling bad for her as a kid. She was always being compared to Diana, and being found lacking. What made it worse is it seemed to affect their friendship, which seemed like a close one.
I think much of the UK media is somewhat racist or plays to their Brexit , racist readers. I think the Daily Mail is definately racist.. Still the UK press were terrible to Chelsy and Cressida too, I think that had to do with using any of Harry’s girlfriends as a negative battering ram, to build up Kate. But with Meghan the press is racist , but tries to cloak it in protocol articles,
The U.K. Media has never been especially nice to Prince Harry, it’s just that the public likes him and he’s charismatic, so much the press harping on him hasn’t worked,
I think Meghan has been wonderful, especially considering everytime she steps out the Press claims another broken protocol.
obviously the Queen thinks Meghan is lovely.
Other people have worn hats in the royal box at Wimbledon, including other royals. There are people screaming she broke protocol wearing sunglasses, when plenty of other royals wear sunglasses at engagements and W&K wore sunglasses to Wimbledon the next day.
I listen to Omid Scobie and Emily Andrews on their podcast and they are always laughing about these supposed “protocol breaches” when there isn’t protocol for most of the “mistakes” she’s made thus far.
OMG that’s insane re: the sunglasses. Half the people in the royal box are wearing sunglasses.
Yes, I have never seen one person other than Meghan wear sunglasses. In the entire history of Wimbledon. Ever. 🙄
Seriously???? The newspapers need to get a grip. If she was wearing the hat and obstructing someone’s view, then maybe it would have worthy of a DM headline.
The Daily Fail attacked her this weekend for wearing high heels. Because, you know, Kate never wears them. Eye-roll. This poor girl will never win. I’m not saying she’s going to be perfect, but they are being just awful to her.
She’ll have the last laugh. Honestly, I think she’s tough and scrappy and can take it. Harry and her in laws are behind her (and her mother of course). Meghan didn’t get where she is by being a wuss.
I follow Victoria Arbiter on Twitter and her tweets about this are kind of soothing, because she’s just like “THERE IS NO PROTOCOL AND MEGHAN IS FINE.”
it’s so exhausting trying to keep up with all the ways Meghan is “almost” creating irreparable damage to the royal family (since apparently that’s what “breaking protocol” would do?)
That’s what makes me laugh..there’s a lot of “almost” and “could have” and “nearly.”
Emma Watson also wore a hat. No one said anything about her breaking protocol.
Clickety click anyone?
A couple of years ago, I saw Duchess Kate’s bum. She was wearing a yellow dress that blew up, and apparently was either wearing a thong…or nothing. I was just minding my business, clicking on pics (I think she was on tour, maybe) and there it was.. a picture of her bum.
So what’s this about wearing a hat in the wrong place?
That incident with the yellow dress was in Canada . The later incident with the blue dress was in Australia, and man, was that bad. Carrying a hat? The press needs to get a grip.
An awful lot of the British rags are owned by Rupert Murdoch and, well, I guess he’s not anti-Asian, but he does have his prejudices. Also, he’s not known for avoiding pandering to an audience’s worst instincts.
Murdoch hates the Royals, too.