Prince Harry has never shied away from sharing the difficulties his wife Meghan Markle faced when she first entered the world of the British Royal Family. One of his most surprising admissions came during a private conversation in which he revealed: “She didn’t even know she was supposed to curtsy to my grandmother.” For many, the remark highlighted just how unprepared Meghan was for the centuries-old traditions and protocols that define royal life. What seemed like a small detail to outsiders became a major turning point in understanding how overwhelming those early days must have been for her.
According to palace insiders, Meghan’s struggles went far beyond a single forgotten gesture. Harry often found himself playing the role of what he jokingly called an “unwilling teacher.” From teaching Meghan how to walk gracefully across formal halls, to perfecting the angle of a polite bow, and even rehearsing how to handle conversations with dignitaries, Harry shouldered the responsibility of guiding her through a labyrinth of royal etiquette. Those who witnessed their dynamic say Harry’s patience was tested more than once, though he remained determined to protect Meghan from unnecessary embarrassment.
Despite Harry’s guidance, mistakes did happen. One particularly tense incident reportedly left Harry breaking into a nervous sweat after Meghan made a misstep in front of senior royals. While the details of the mistake have never been fully disclosed, sources describe the atmosphere as “palpably awkward,” with everyone in the room unsure how to react. Such moments, though small, fueled whispers that Meghan was struggling to fit into the rigid mold of royal life.
The British tabloids quickly seized on these accounts, spinning them into sensational headlines. Stories portraying Meghan as “unprepared” or even “disrespectful” circulated widely, feeding a narrative that she was ill-suited for her royal role. For Meghan’s supporters, however, these so-called blunders only underscored the unrealistic expectations placed upon her. After all, she was an American actress suddenly thrust into one of the most scrutinized institutions in the world. To them, her missteps were natural, even humanizing, rather than scandalous.
Harry, for his part, often defended Meghan against such criticism. He argued that the learning curve for someone with no background in royal customs was steep and that the institution offered little real support in helping newcomers adjust. His frustration with how Meghan was treated—both inside and outside the palace—would eventually become one of the key factors in the couple’s decision to step back from royal duties.
What this anecdote about the curtsy reveals is more than a humorous story; it exposes the cultural and personal clashes that defined Meghan’s early days as a duchess. The contrast between centuries of rigid tradition and Meghan’s modern, independent background created friction that was impossible to ignore. While some saw her as defiant, others admired her willingness to navigate unfamiliar territory under such intense pressure.
Today, as Harry and Meghan continue to carve out their own path away from the monarchy, stories like these remain central to the public’s fascination with them. They symbolize not only Meghan’s struggles but also the couple’s broader rejection of an institution that, in their view, offered little compassion or flexibility. Whether remembered as innocent mistakes or signs of deeper incompatibility, Meghan’s early difficulties with royal protocol have become part of the larger narrative that keeps the world watching their every move.
