Princess Kate’s reaction to Meghan Markle’s Trooping the Colour joke | Royal | News

The event, which marks the Sovereign’s official birthday, is steeped in military pageantry and royal protocol, bringing together senior members of the Royal Family for a day of celebrations watched by millions worldwide.

At the time, Meghan, 44, was still adjusting to royal life and experiencing many of the family’s traditions for the very first time. In his memoir, Harry recalled how Princess Kate asked Meghan what she thought of the spectacle unfolding around them.

According to the Duke, Meghan replied with a simple joke, “Colourful.” While the response may have been intended as light-hearted, Harry claimed it landed with an uncomfortable thud.

Writing in Spare, he explained: “A yawning silence threatened to swallow us all whole”. The awkward moment came during a day that otherwise appeared to be a significant milestone for the newlywed Duchess.

Meghan arrived at Horse Guards Parade alongside Prince Harry in a carriage, sharing the journey with Queen Elizabeth II’s cousin, the Duke of Kent.

Thousands of spectators packed The Mall and Horse Guards Parade to watch the celebrations, while millions more tuned in around the world to witness the annual display of military precision and royal pageantry.

Trooping the Colour remains one of the biggest fixtures in the royal calendar. More than 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses and hundreds of musicians take part in the spectacle each year as the nation marks the monarch’s official birthday.

Other senior working royals, including Princess Anne, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and members of the wider royal family, are also expected to appear during the traditional balcony gathering and RAF flypast.