Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Valentine Low, a veteran royal correspondent, recently shared a puzzling encounter with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle while traveling with the couple on a 2018 tour. According to Low, the pair exhibited curt and confusing conduct that left journalists scratching their heads.
Recalling a Long, Quiet Flight
Low explained the context: “We were flying from Tonga back to Sydney. Often on these tours, there comes a point towards the end when the royal might come back to the plane and chat with us off record.”
But on this five-hour flight, no such visit occurred. Low wondered, “When’s this gonna happen?” Finally, only after landing did Prince Harry and Meghan Markle appear.
Meghan Markle’s Odd Sunday Lunch Remark
Low found Markle’s comment inexplicable, as she lightly sniped about the reporters rushing to get home for Sunday lunch. “It was completely bizarre,” he remarked.
Prince Harry Chastises Journalists for Coming Along
However, Prince Harry apparent admonishment proved even more perplexing. “Thanks very much for coming,” the Prince quipped, “even though you weren’t invited.”
Low admitted being stunned, as royalty traditionally traveled with a press pool during engagements.
Troubling Implications
While likely meant lightheartedly, Prince Harry implication that journalists essentially invite themselves along on tours rang false. Low had previously interacted positively with the Prince and felt the detached incident hinted at tension bubbling under the surface.
In retrospect, was this a harbinger of animosity towards the media that would erupt later? It’s unclear, but the already difficult relationship between Harry and the press soured dramatically not long after.
For Low, the bizarre plane encounter capped off an otherwise successful royal tour peppered with small indicators of the troubles ahead. In the years since, fractures have only widened between Sussex and the press, with no quick reconciliation on the horizon.