Meghan Markle’s quip falls flat with Princess Kate

Prince Harry has shed new light on Meghan Markle’s early days in the royal spotlight, revealing an awkward moment during her debut Trooping the Colour appearance in 2018.

Writing in his memoir Spare, the Duke of Sussex described the overall mood among the royal family that day as "good" and "upbeat" the event coming shortly after he and Meghan returned from their honeymoon.

Meghan was taking part in her first official engagement as a royal when Kate asked what she thought of the event. Meghan, attempting a light-hearted reply, simply quipped: "Colourful."

The joke, however, didn’t land as hoped.

"A yawning silence threatened to swallow us all whole," Harry recalled, suggesting the Princess of Wales wasn’t quite amused by the remark.

Despite the awkward moment, she remained composed throughout her balcony debut. 

According to a lipreader, the Duchess confided to Harry that she was feeling "nervous" during the appearance. Ever the reassuring partner, Harry whispered: "Okay?" prompting her to respond, "Yeah, are you?"

While she looked polished and serene waving to the crowds along the Mall, the exchange hinted at the quiet jitters behind her poised exterior. 

Fortunately, Harry was at her side, calmly guiding her through every step of her first major royal outing.