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The Princess of Wales' public displays of affection during royal engagements have become the focus of a new viral video, contradicting Meghan Markle's impression that Brits find hugging "jarring."
The Duchess of Sussex made the observation about the British attitude towards informal gestures of affection in her 2022 Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan. She recounted her first meeting with her soon-to-be sister-in-law Kate, while she was dating Prince Harry.
"Even when Will and Kate came over and I met her for the first time, they came over for dinner, and I was in ripped jeans and I was barefoot," Meghan said. "It's like I was a hugger, I've always been a hugger... I didn't realize that that is really jarring for a lot of Brits."
In the show, Meghan went on to voice surprise at finding that the formal exterior shown by the royals while at public events was carried through into their private lives. As a clip of William and Kate was shown, the duchess said: "I guess I started to understand very quickly that the formality on the outside carried through to the inside... that there is a forward-facing way of being and then you close the door, and you go, 'Oh... OK, we can relax now.' But that formality carries over on both sides, and that was surprising to me."
In a newly uploaded TikTok video, posted by user @brunettecatherine five days ago, a clip of Meghan's Netflix interview has been edited together with those of Kate offering a series of hugs during official engagements. The footage has received over 193,000 views on the social-media site so far.
One clip from the compilation shows the princess hugging a member of the public who had come to see her and Prince William during a visit to Cornwall, southwest England. Kate picked the man out of the crowd, whom it transpired had been her school teacher in her younger years.
"Hello! I do recognize you," Kate said on news footage captured on the day after giving him a hug. "My gosh, that's a long time back... I remember exactly the classroom and everything."
@brunettecatherine happiest birthday to the children's princess, princess catherine of wales <3 #princesscatherine #katemiddleton #princesskate #royalfamily #fyp ♬ original sound - ????????
Additional footage showed the royal hugging a midwife during a visit to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in London, England, in 2018. While meeting healthcare professionals, Kate was spotted greeting Professor Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent—who was part of the medical team that helped deliver two of her children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte—with a hug.
The video has received in excess of 11,000 likes and over 200 comments, many of which have praised Kate and her interactions with the public.
"A queen in every sense of the word," wrote one user of the princess.
"Catherine Princess of Wales is full of kindness and compassion," posted another.
Public interest in the relationship between Kate and Meghan has increased since the duchess' split from the monarchy with Prince Harry in 2020 and relocation to the U.S.
Since the couple's move, the Sussexes have undertaken a number of media projects and interviews, including the Harry & Meghan show, about their experiences within the monarchy and with royal family members.
Kate did not publicly respond to the claims made about her in the Netflix docuseries, in line with a blanket "no comment" position adopted by Buckingham Palace in London.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek's royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek's The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email royals@newsweek.com. We'd love to hear from you.
About the writer
James Crawford-Smith is a Newsweek Royal Reporter, based in London, U.K. His focus is reporting on the British royal family ... Read more