I actually knew this was a thing a week ago, I just chose to ignore it because I thought it was the dumbest fake controversy ever. A week ago, all the royals gathered for Trooping the Colour, the big show for the Queen’s fake birthday. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex rode in a carriage with the Duchess of Cornwall and Duchess of Cambridge (Camilla and Kate). Once on the balcony, Harry and Meghan were shoved to the back because of the “pecking order,” which is a code for “we wanted to shove them in the back and we’re just going to make up sh-t about a pecking order.” The cameras were trained on Meghan and Harry (and the entire family) for the duration of the whole balcony rigmarole, and they had to stand there for the plane show, and for the playing of “God Save the Queen.” That’s where this happened:
The real video not the one that was altered and silenced #SussexSquad #DuchessofSussex #TroopingTheColour #PrinceHarry #meghanmarkle #MeghanAndHarry pic.twitter.com/gP9LDoGfdx
— 👶🏽King Archie Harrison👶🏽 (@Sussex__Archive) June 13, 2019
You have to actually look for it – Meghan is sort of placed halfway in front of Harry, and she turned around a few times to say something to him, and just before “God Save the Queen” was being played, it looked like Harry told her to “turn around.” Which she did. You can see everyone on the balcony stiffen and “stand at attention” as the song played. My take is that Meghan didn’t hear the music or she didn’t realize it was happening or whatever, and Harry reminded her.
The anti-Meg people would have you believe that Harry SNAPPED at “diva Meg” and that their marriage is already in shambles and that Meghan was in tears after Harry screamed at her. Sure, you can believe that. It just looked like he reminded her that the song was about to play or was already playing and she quickly collected herself. I mean, she’s not even a British citizen yet and she’s only been married a year. There a million little moments like that with the royals, like the time the Queen “snapped” at William on the balcony and told him to “stand up” when he was kneeling down, fussing with George. If anything, wasn’t that more embarrassing, to be told off by the Queen? QUEEN SNAPS AT DIVA WILL.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red and WENN.
Yeah, my theory is that she didn’t realize the anthem was starting and Harry told her to turn around (because it was about to start and he knew that.)
The more I look at the balcony pics the less I think where they stood was a big deal. Last year it felt kind of odd, especially since Kate seemed sort of tense, but this year I think its clear they stood back there to be closer to the Queen and to let parents of young children be up front. Next year, if they are still in the back with Archie, I may think something is up, but as it is, I think it was their choice.
Exactly. She didn’t realize God save the Queen was about to start, he told her it was, and voilà, that’s all. Much ado about nothing.
+1 snazzy
IIRC, Camilla turned around quickly when the anthem was starting, too. There’s a lot going on on that balcony. It’s understandable if they don’t hear the first notes of the anthem right away and have to be nudged a bit.
That video in the embedded tweet agrees with you about Camilla.
She and Charles were chatting with her slightly turned towards him. Then when the first notes played, both of them straightened up and Camilla adjusted herself so that she was facing totally forward.
Meghan starts to turn around before Camilla straightened up. Of course, their body languages were different. Camilla was far more relaxed when she stopped and straightened, while Meghan looked like she was thinking, Ooops. But Cams has been doing this for years, while Meghan is still a “freshman” royal.
I came to day this – Camilla was turned, too.
This is the biggest not-a-big-deal ever.
Good heavens.
My guess is that they stand in the back for 2 reasons 1) is to allow the children and their parents stand up front so the kids can have a better view of the planes and crowds; 2) Harry has always stood in the back, he’s comfortable there. While I think Harry loves the charity work part of being royal, I don’t think he is comfortable with the “royal events” part of being royal and so will try to fade into the back ground as much as he can, taking Meghan with him.
They were so happy that day, I don’t care about this nosense.
He clearly was just alerting her that the song was about to start.
IMO he did, and I don’t see the big deal.
this is such a non story. Why do they want to imagine problems where there are none. Meg wasn’t paying attention (probably sleep deprived) and harry told her ‘hey turn around’
end.of.story
This is a total non-story for the commentariat at the Daily Fail.
To me the real story was the ugly Givenchy dress and coat that Meghan wore.
Sigh It was ugly. I don’t think dark navy flatters her either. Like the outfit at Eugenie’s wedding, or at Christmas last year….
If you look really closely and pause at 1.2354554646 mn Harry slaps Meghan 🙄.
😂😂😂
Nah, I saw that same video. Meghan screamed “this is my house!” and pushed a child out of her way. Harry told her to stop being so uppity and the Queen cried. It all happened so fast that no one else saw it, and the Obama Conspiracy hid the real tape from the public.
😂 🤣
Didn’t you know? Obama has a time machine, and as a fellow member of the black people Illuminati, Meghan has access to it. ಠ_ಠ
In all seriousness, the racism of those wishing for this marriage to fail is over-the-top, ridiculous, and angry-making.
People making a big deal about this **should* be ashamed, but their blatant racist selves have no shame.
LOLLL
LOL!!!
And she put a knee in his balls. Plain as day.
Did Harry give Meg a cheeky slap on her bum? 🤣 LOL! 😂
He appeared to bring her attention to the anthem. She turned back around swiftly. Done.
Hilarious, Snowslow.
It’s just like when I tell my kids they need to stand or keep quiet at church. They dont know and so I remind them. This is, as many have said, much ado about nothing. The press just wants to keep crucifying Megs. They posted an article yesterday about Harry’s crush on Jenn Aniston. Massive eye roll. Who cares.
Yea, he did. And it’s not a big deal. She needed a cue and he gave it.
I agree. I don’t see this as being any different than last year on the balcony when he instructed her when to curtsy and you could also see him telling her what was happening next. These tabloid stories are meant to feed the haters and trolls.
Yeah he did.I watched the whole video and he spoke to her first and she turned round to say something to him then he told her to turn around which she then did. Divorce proceeding coming soon :’)
She looked a bit emotional but she is postpartum,everything can make you cry.
I dont remember this microscopic look into the Cambridges marriage like there is with the Sussexes. Every frown,smile,laugh etc is analysed and broken apart.Its scary
The press sourcing videos and comments from Meghan tinhatters is disgusting,these people say the vilest and nastiest things about Meghan and Archie and it speaks of the press’s agenda
They are trying everything to break down this marriage.Its not going to give them party/old Harry back. How about they treat him like the irrelevant 6th in line like they keep saying he is
“They are trying everything to break down this marriage.Its not going to give them party/old Harry back. How about they treat him like the irrelevant 6th in line like they keep saying he is.”
This! They are desperately trying to ruin Harry and Meghan’s marriage. It’s sick and abusive. The tabloid reporters could easily ignore the Sussexes just like they ignore Edward and Sophie, but they refuse to do so. All of those negative stories are making more people defend and sympathize with Harry and Meghan.
I think she tears up for sure. Sleep deprivation is real, along with the massive hormonal shift going on. Meghan is a poised woman who is careful about procedure, so it may have been a little embarrassing in that moment and she teared up due to the above. It made me feel for her.
Is it possible the anthem made her teary? Majestic music can make me emotional for some reason.
@ SAM-YAAASSSSS!!!
H&M really need to mess with the lip readers and say utter nonsense just to get back for things like this.
@himmiefan LOL!
Looking at the photos mostly what I’m thinking is look at how fat Prince Andrew has become and why are his and others’ expressions so pained? Remember the days of Randy Andy when he was actually good looking and before we knew he was such a (insert word connected to Jeffrey Epstein)?
As for Meghan, she’s naturally effusive and spontaneous. Some of the other gossip sites are so creepy and vile that I can no longer go there. And I don’t even go to the sites like Royal Dish, etc.
This video alsp shows that Meghan doesn’t always wear the pants as many trolls claim.
I think the sun was in their eyes. That’s why Andrew and some of the other men look pained (no hats), and its why Meghan was squinting and blinking (her hat wouldn’t help with the sun.)
Andrew has grown lately.
Yes I was thinking: my, he’s grown to be a large man. Too many creme brulees with HM?
Why the need to point out he’s put on weight? Lots of people do for one reason or another. Does anyone look the same as they did 30 years ago???
How disgusting of the tabloids to spread an edited video from known internet trolls who have been slating Meghan for years. I watched the real video, and you can clearly see that the balcony was packed and chaotic. Lots of people were talking, then they all immediately faced forward with stern faces when the anthem started.
I bet Meghan was slightly in panic on the way back from TTC to BuckPalace and she whizzed to the room where Archie was kept and breastfed him. She was inattentive when they were standing on the balconey. That is all, not really a big thing.
I think the balcony and subsequent photos are a really, really big deal to the royal family. They get one shot a year to be their most traditionally regal.
The close up of William with his kids are him instructing “wave… wave…. wave…. wave” over and over. The queen isn’t exactly relaxed up there either, so I just think despite the smiles on everyone, it’s pretty tense with instructions and logistics.
This is a sure sign they will divorce. 🧐
They held hands as they walked off the balcony but that does not play into the negativity.
Oh I didn’t know that. That’s good to know/read. I think I feel for Meghan because all of this must be very intimidating for her.
How many Royals can you fit on the Balcony? Poor Jack stuck behind creepy Andrew for his first balcony appearance. Without Meghan this event would’ve gotten very little attention in the US. The media needs her and so they create drama.
Marrying Eugenie ensured he will be behind creepy Andrew forever, unfortunately.
Okay this is silly and just tabs peddling overwrought fiction for clicks, this seems to be the trend in “journalism” now. Additionally why is there this “shoved to the back” narrative? Shoved by whom? Where should they be, in front of the children or…?
Even if he did say it sternly, who cares? They’re human. Show me a couple that doesn’t occasionally do this-*IF* it happened at all. We’ll never know and it’s not worth all the coverage it’s gotten.
I maintain they were not shoved to the back. They are behind children-people shorter than them. It would be ridiculous to put them in front of children. Harry has stood in that same spot on more than one occasion.
All I see is the Duke of York stood there like a pompous arse.
He doesn’t need to be that close to the front so I guess the Queen wanted him there…
DIVA ANDREW DEMANDS TO STAND NEXT TO MUMMY
Isn’t he standing in for his father, thus at his mother’s side?
I would say that he is standing in for Prince Philip which he has been doing since Philip’s retirement. He is the natural choice being the only single child of the Queen.
And, it was his regiment that “trooped,” right? So it makes sense that he would be front and center like that.
She has probably asked that he give her a heads up for things like this. When to curtsy, when to look ahead, etc. He’s still showing her the ropes and looking out for her. And that’s all this was – him looking out for her.
The idea that he’s fed up or annoyed with her when she’s just given birth to their child, something he made very clear he desperately wanted, is hilarious to me. I’m guessing he’s got her on a higher pedestal than ever right now.
Hearing the first few strains of God Save The Queen, while standing on that balcony, a few feet from the actual Queen you’re celebrating… I can’t imagine an experience more literally majestic than that. Forget my actual nationality or family drama or what I may secretly think about the monarchy, it’s absolutely the sort of moment that would have reduced me to sentimental tears during the post-partum months.
Yep posted a similar thing upthread. It was probably very moving and thus is the likely explanation for ant teariness. My husband, not a royal watcher looked at the video and thought that the exchange between Harry and Meghan was such a non issue he was rolling his eyes.
I actually see this as a positive thing – previously I was concerned that Harry was not advising Meghan correctly (or, more likely, she was not listening to him or other advisors). In this case, he provided guidance and she immediately corrected herself.
Exactly. In similar situations, all of us should hope our other halves would give us a heads up. My husband and I definitely do (we are of different ethnic backgrounds and so social/family occasions can involve things that one or other of us is unfamiliar with).
I really don’t get the ‘shoved in the back’ narrative. Meg & Harry seem well positioned & visible. What would you have them do? Push the Queen, her son (the Colonel of the colour that was being trooped) and the tiny children back and take centre stage?
Was it a big deal that he told her to turn around? No, it wasn’t. Does she look like she was in tears? Mmm… maybe, but it’s hard to say, she might be just squinting in the sun. Is he an apple fallen from the privileged royal tree where men are used to order everyone around? No doubt. Most likely he doesn’t even question it because that’s how he was raised. You can argue with your middle class husband and tell him to stop being a jerk, but there’s not much you can do if your husband is a prince. Maybe, if she had more money than him or if she had a $hit load of protective relatives behind her, she’d have more power. She doesn’t.
I’m with Lainey on this one. It’s simply a matter of what Meg will continue to choose to ignore vs pick a fight over. The thing is he has the upper hand in their marriage whereas she gave up most of her power when she joined this family. Time will tell how this will play out.
Can you give me a general idea of what post Lainey said this? I enjoy her take.
Rys, thank you for the laugh. The Sussex marriage dynamics and future analysed from 2 seconds of a video some claimed was edited. For some of us who count marriage years in decades, I will say once again thanks for the laugh.
“For some of us who count marriage years in decades, I will say once again thanks for the laugh.”
Cosigned. If that tiny exchange between H and M is emblematic of the types of ‘disputes’ they have then they are onto a real winner with their marriage. Telling your partner to turn around for the national anthem when they might not know that they should do so is actually a caring act, not a vicious, entitled one.
That’s a lot to assume from a brief exchange. Harry is the one with knowledge of protocol and until she has a few years under her belt she needs his guidance at these events. It’s not about a power dynamic in their marriage.
If was just a small moment. Imagine he hadn’t told her to turn around and she had been chatting as the music started. The daily mail would love that. Everytime I see pictures of her from that day I just think about how beautiful she looks. Her face is just glowing.
Well, I think he was a little brusque with her and that she stood very still trying not to tear up. I think she was clearly hurt by it. I realize that all were standing at attention for the anthem, but she was hurt and it bugs me. Emotions are right at the surface postpartum and a little nudge would have worked just as well.
No, they’re not splitting up over such things but she looked so happy earlier that it was a shame.
I think you’re right. She looks like she’s trying not to cry, but they were also holding hands as they left the balcony. They probably raced to see who would get to Archie first.
(I think that’s the first time in my life I have ever typed the word Archie)
Harry looks miserable all around and I don’t think it has anything to do with Meaghan. However, that being said, I have seen the video with a much closer look at her face and it does look like she’s fighting back tears, not the sun. I felt really sorry for her.
Maybe they are just tired?
Did Harry tell Meghan to turn around at TTC ? Haters who cannot stand Meghan – No he did not tell, he snapped at her. People who like her – yes he did tell her. The other lot who do not analyse people expressions and words in microseconds – saw nothing out of the ordinary, normal interaction, much ado about nothing. What is the difference btn telling and snapping ? The tone of voice. Can somebody direct me to the video where Harry`s voice could be heard?
Not related to the video above, but I have always gotten the impression William and Meghan wear contact lenses thus the rapid blinking observed once in a while.
About the positioning of the people on the balcony , the most tragic is the fact that Edward could not be seen anywhere. Surely we are slowly, but gradually approaching the closing of the curtain for the Queen. Shouldn`t her children be front and center of such an event. Edward should have been standing beside Andrew. The rest of the lot should be thinned out. They cannot all be on the balcony.
As far as the pecking order goes, Andy ranks below Harry and should have, therefore been behind. But Andy has always been the one family member most impressed with himself and his “princehood.” When he was 16 and, therefore, started being addressed as “Sir” he verbally abused a palace staff member. When TQ learned, she told the staff to call him Andrew until he was 18. And he is always bitching about his daughters having security and front stage. They rank behind his nephews and their children in succession.
This is actually incorrect. The balcony is arranged by order of precedence, not order or succession, and the Queens children are placed higher in the order of precedence than Harry is. Do you really think that the Queen and all her courtiers don’t know how to follow the rules that the Queen herself sets?
I’m sorry. I’ve got to share this … I’m an African American woman who comes from a family where the culture is big on showing respect and tone when we’re speaking with each other. The body language showed him looking stern and irritated as he said it and she looked embarrassed as if she’d just been scolded like a child in public by her husband. Can you imagine Jayz speaking to Beyonce like that in public and Beyonce NOT turning her head back around to him to give him a “what is wrong with you?! why are you talking to me like that?” look?
I really love Meghan and Harry. As an African American I have a lot of pride about Meghan being a successful royal. I love how this site supports her. But, I’m sorry, I’ve got to share from my cultural perspective – that exchange was NOT cool and I hope she checked him when they were alone. (And by “check” I mean something like “hey babe, here’s how it felt when you spoke to me like a child in front of people and the cameras earlier today…”)
I know, I felt bad for her. It was obvious that she was hurt. And can you imagine becoming a part of the RF because she fell in love? I bet it feels lonely, and he needs to support her. Her own family besides her mother have been a nightmare. She looked very vulnerable.
When you watch the full video without the edits, you see him say something to Meghan, she turns to the side then facing front and has a solemn look as she usually does when the national anthem is played. I do not see a woman who is tearful at all. Her look is similar to the one she had on the D-Day celebration last year on the balcony with the German President’s wife. Then too people said she looked unhappy and tearful (rolling my eyes and SMH).
I find it interesting no one waits long enough to see Harry reach for her hand as they start walking inside but Meghan stops him and gestures to the Queen who was still waving at her subjects. Indicating they should wait for her to leave the balcony before leaving..which they did. He held her hand as they eventually left the balcony. So I’m not sure what video many seem to be watching but I didn’t see all these supposed controversies.
If there is tension with Harry I think it may be with his father and brother. Something is going on there. I will just leave it at that. Don’t come for me peeps, its just my opinion.
Personally I think Megs looked like she was choking back tears at the rebuke from her husband. I also think she is post-partem (much like Kate was during Meghans fitting). She also can do no right at the moment so every little slight even when appropriate probably stings when it’s from her husband.
I think the tiff on balcony story gained traction from the looks on Harry’s face during the carriage ride. It’s been explained as sleep deprivation which, as a new parent, makes perfect sense.
He clearly is reminding her to turn around since the anthem is coming, you can see his eyes dart over to TQ as if to say, ‘look the anthem is coming, turn around!’. He may have been a bit sharp but if so I don’t believe he was doing it to reprimand her, he may have been nervous to have her spin around quickly since he knew they were on film and being photo’d, and any sign of her backside when the anthem began playing would’ve been screechingly misrepresented all over the papers the next day: “Rude Meg disrespects Queen at Trooping!” or other crap.
They know their every move is being watched and dissected, mostly unfairly, by the UK press. I think he was trying to protect her more than anything – she clearly forgot GSTQ was coming up and may have turned around to ask him when they could leave the balcony. If Archie was inside (as rumored) then of course she was eager to get inside to get back to him.
I don’t see what is so unreasonable about Harry and Meghan standing a bit back from the railing (mostly so that they aren’t blocking small children), and still in a central location? They all know, and we all know, who “outranks” who; a living diorama is unnecessary. Let some older royals have their time in the sun for now. When they die, the currently-young royals will get to stand there. They’ve got a LOT of these things to do in their lifetimes, they’re gonna be fine. Anyway, the Queen looks cool with two red uniforms flanking her.
Yeah I don’t think this was anything more than everyone stiffening up for the anthem and him reminding her. She did look a little terse afterwards though lol. As a sidenote, I love Meghan she’s gorgeous and all, but I have been wondering for a while why she makes that pursed/pouty duck lip face ALL the time? I have a sister who has done it for so long (since literally everyone was doing it in the early 00s) – and about the same age as Meghan (and Paris Hilton, right?) – and I always just want to tell her how much prettier she looks when not doing that with her lips!
He said ‘turn around’ and rolled his eyes towards the Queen. She turned even further around because she either didn’t hear or didn’t understand. He repeated himself and she turned around and put on her ‘serious and respectful’ face. If there were tears (which I didn’t see) it probably comes from listening to ‘God Save the Queen’ with the Queen standing right there. It would make me cry. Not to mention that her baby, the great-grandson, of the Queen is nearby. She was so broken up that she and her husband left the balcony smiling and holding hands.
Meghan isn’t an abused wife and Harry isn’t on the verge of throwing her and her ‘mixed’ baby into the streets. In the picture of THEIR child, Harry makes sure his ring is very prominently displayed. Harry loves his baby and he loves his wife. And every single hateful dig about his family probably makes him love them more and brings them closer together because Meghan is going through all of this bullshit because of HIM. What man wouldn’t love the woman who is willing to suffer for his sake? And do anything he can to protect his family from the howling mob.
What is annoying is how precedence and pecking order doesn’t seem to matter that much to the Royal Family half he time as much as it matters to the social media “sticklers” that think they know for sure written in stone how it’s supposed to work. Half the time when there’s a great group of them they’re all sort of shuffling and walking in front of each other. Never the Queen but amongst each other. Like some times Anne doesn’t give a fig and walking in front of Charles or Andrew. People would make a big deal about Kate not knowing where to walk too. Like hello, they didn’t grow up in it, how are they supposed to know, especially if they take turns not caring and shuffling in front of each other sometimes?
I think what was shocking to me was seeing Meghan’s face fall after Harry spoke to her. She was shamed and it showed in her face. The hurt was obvious.
I’m sure there were words between the two at the end of the day, when they were alone.
This is so stupid. They are both clearly looking at something inside and behind them (perhaps something Archie related), and he reminds her that it’s time to turn around. I’d be hiding at the back too if my boobs could potentially leak at any moment or I might have to duck in to feed a baby. If this is them supposedly looking miserable and upset, then my daily expression must look like I’m on the warpath lol.