While speculation about a strained relationship between the Duchess of Sussex and the Princess of Wales has persisted over the years, a resurfaced clip from Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s 2017 engagement interview offers a much softer glimpse into their early interactions.
In the BBC interview with journalist Mishal Husain, Prince Harry recalled his family’s excitement about welcoming Meghan.
He shared that Prince William and Kate were “longing to meet her” and described the introduction as having gone “swimmingly.” At the time, both couples were living close by on the Kensington Palace estate, allowing for several early get-togethers.
When asked about meeting her future sister-in-law, Meghan offered a simple yet warm three-word verdict: “She’s been wonderful.”
Harry echoed the sentiment, adding: “Amazing, as has William as well—you know, fantastic support.”
However, years later, a different tone emerged in the couple’s 2022 Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan. Reflecting on her early experiences with the royal family, Meghan spoke of her surprise at the level of formality maintained even in private settings.
“I met her [Kate] for the first time, I think we went for dinner. I remember I was in ripped jeans and barefoot,” Meghan recalled. “I was a hugger—I’ve always been a hugger. I didn’t realise that that was jarring for a lot of Brits.”
As footage of Prince William and Princess Kate played, Meghan continued: “I started to understand that the formality on the outside carried through on the inside… that there is a forward-facing way of being, and then you close the door—[sighs]—I can relax now. But that formality carries over on both sides, and that was surprising to me.”
The Duchess also reflected critically on their engagement interview itself, calling it an “orchestrated reality show.”
Although the couple appeared relaxed and in love—speaking fondly about Harry’s roast chicken proposal—Meghan later described it as an overly polished portrayal of a very real and emotional time.
“We went right inside. Took the coat off. Sat down and did the interview. It was all in that same moment,” she explained, highlighting the tightly choreographed nature of royal public appearances.
