Prince Harry and Meghan Markle broke royal protocol at the Queen’s funeral on Monday, September 19th (and quite a few events leading up to it!) as they were spotted holding hands at many points during the ceremony.
Holding hands in public is considered a form of PDA in the royal family and is therefore frowned upon (although not technically forbidden) especially by senior members of the royal family. While it would be very rare to see hand-holding between the monarch or the next in line to the throne (which is why we rarely see Prince William and Kate Middleton, the new Prince and Princess of Wales, holding hands at formal events – although they have been known to do so at more casual events) the rules do tend to be a little more relaxed for other members, which is why Prince Harry and Meghan were often photographed holding hands even before they stepped down as senior royals in January 2020.
Prince Harry and Meghan have been spotted holding hands at most of the events leading up to and including the Queen's funeral, and the subject was first discussed by royal experts on Wednesday, September 14th, following a short service honoring the late Queen Elizabeth II. "While there are no formal 'rules' against PDA, we don’t often see it from the royals because usually when we see them they are on the job," royal expert Shannon Felton Spence told Fox News Digital, before adding that Meghan holding her husband's hand appeared to be a "loving show of support."
As for the Prince and Princess of Wales' hand holding, Spence said: "It does happen, but usually always setting appropriate or a less formal event (like if they are playing a sport.) That’s why it’s so striking that Harry and Meghan have always been so overtly affectionate with each other." "It’s not that it’s unusual for a husband and wife, it’s that we’re just not used to seeing it from the royals while they are on the job," she added.
Here's Beatrice with her husband holding hands - any condemnation for them? pic.twitter.com/Rr4AoGHlDN
— Carole Hawkins (@hawkins_carole) September 14, 2022
There have been mixed reactions to Harry and Meghan's hand-holding during the events following the Queen's death. Some fans have deemed it attention-seeking and class-less, while others have called Meghan a "supportive wife" to her husband mourning his grandmother. Others, quite rightly, pointed out that other members of the royal family were holding hands with their significant others and were not criticized, including Zara Phillips and husband Mike Tindall, and Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.
"What a shame. Meghan and Harry just had to draw attention to themselves by holding hands," one Twitter user wrote. "Totally inappropriate but what else can you expect?" they added, to which one user replied: "Here's Beatrice with her husband holding hands - any condemnation for them?"
Meghan Markle is such a supportive wife to Prince Harry. The best of the British royal family https://t.co/8rlPb1edC5
— Paula (@Walsh2Paula) September 14, 2022
"I see Meghan still couldn't manage the whole service without holding on to Harry, had to hold his hand on the way out. Absolutely no class," wrote another. "Keep holding hands Harry and Meghan. It amuses me to see people bothered by it. Lol," someone else wrote, to counter the earlier comments. "Meghan Markle is such a supportive wife to Prince Harry," one supporter wrote on Twitter. "The best of the British royal family," they added, followed by the red heart emoji.
