Royal family
Find out what the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were seen doing on video at the Invictus Games that has left many people in disbelief.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have kicked off the annual Invictus Games in Vancouver, Canada. The couple is relying heavily on social media more so this year than in past years to promote the Games with the duchess sharing behind-the-scenes clips on her recently-launched Instagram account.
But something the pair was seen doing in one video has rubbed people the wrong way and garnered criticism as they can’t believe what the Sussexes did in front of the Invictus athletes.
Here’s more on that and why Meghan is being called out for what she did to another athlete as she tried to get a good photo.
What Prince Harry and Meghan were seen doing that caused an uproar
The clip that had people up in arms and triggered controversy shows Meghan and Harry just ahead of the opening ceremony on Feb. 8. Many took issue with the fact that the prince and former Suits star rode together into the venue in a golf cart down a corridor by a crowd of disabled veterans; some of whom are wheelchair users.
And while Meghan has the comments turned off on her Instagram, people took to X to voice their frustrations over what the ex-working royals did.
As one user commented: “So Meghan and Harry, two able-bodied people, are driven on a golf cart passed disabled veterans. Some of the veterans are wheelchair-bound. They should have walked through the group, meeting, greeting, and shaking hands. All with a camera following them. Unbelievable.”
A second person fumed: “Disabled veterans made to stand waiting in a mile-long cold concrete corridor whilst these two very able-bodied [people] get golf carted in the opposite direction. Just when you think they can’t sink any lower.”
Another wrote: “The optics of this are hard to believe. They are RIDING past injured veterans. Some in wheelchairs. Waving to them from their cart because H/MM are too important to WALK. And of course they are being filmed.”
A fourth posted: “Agree that’s is so jarring to see them on their buggy ride. Gross. But I DO think the vets mind. There’s just no setting or way for them to express it. They are there for an event for themselves.”
Others asked, “Who so being honored here? The veterans OR Harry and Meghan being honored by the veterans!” and “They drive along being taped by the cart behind them … with people being encouraged to yell out for them. When does this madness stop?”
Meghan draws more backlash for what she did to a woman in a wheelchair
Another video making the rounds on social media and drawing plenty of backlash shows Meghan pushing a woman in a wheelchair without her permission.
During an appearance on Sky News Australia, show host Rita Panahi and To Di For Daily podcaster Kinsey Schofield criticized the duchess for maneuvering a member of Team Canada around without asking first.
“Please me this story isn’t true,” Panahi cried in disbelief.
“This is horrifically true,” Schofield said. “Meghan in this video appears to move this woman’s wheelchair, without asking her permission, and the individual stops mid-conversation kind of shocked.”
Schofield added the reason Harry’s wife did so is because: “Meghan moves her wheelchair towards the group for a photo because no one likes to document their good deeds like Meghan Markle. The internet backlash was fierce … I don’t understand how she thought that was appropriate at all.”
