Prince Harry has shared a moment when Meghan Markle’s attempt at humour during a significant royal event didn’t quite hit the mark—especially with Kate Middleton.

The relationship between the once-dubbed “Fab Four” has long been under scrutiny, and over time, the tension has become increasingly apparent.

Since stepping back from royal duties in 2020, Meghan and Harry’s move has been followed by media interviews, books, and documentaries—all of which have only highlighted the growing rift between the Sussexes and the rest of the royal family.

Meghan’s Nerves and the Joke That Fell Flat

Meghan has previously admitted that she knew very little about royal traditions and formalities before becoming the Duchess of Sussex. So it’s understandable that at formal events like Trooping the Colour, her nerves may have surfaced in the form of humour.

In his 2023 memoir Spare, Prince Harry recalled Meghan’s first appearance at Trooping the Colour in 2018, just a few weeks after their honeymoon. When Kate asked Meghan what she thought of the grand royal event, Meghan gave a light-hearted answer: “Colourful.”

Unfortunately, the joke didn’t seem to land.

Harry wrote about the moment in his book, noting there was “a yawning silence that threatened to swallow us all whole.”