It was supposed to be a light-hearted anecdote about meeting the monarch for the first time. Instead, it has become the defining moment that millions point to as the ultimate betrayal — the exact instant Meghan Markle turned a private, respectful encounter with the beloved late Queen Elizabeth II into what critics are calling a mocking comedy sketch.
A resurfaced clip from the couple’s 2022 Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan has once again set social media ablaze, with furious royal supporters declaring it “the No. 1 reason we hate you both so much.” The footage shows Meghan dramatically reenacting her first curtsy to the Queen in an exaggerated, theatrical style while Harry sits beside her, a smirk playing across his face.
The Scene That Has the World Talking
In the now-infamous segment, Meghan recounts being told at the last minute that she would meet the Queen at Royal Lodge. Harry allegedly asked in the car, “You know how to curtsy, right?” — a question she claims she thought was a joke.
What followed in the documentary is what has sparked years of fury.
Meghan launches into a full demonstration for the cameras. She doesn’t offer a simple, respectful curtsy. Instead, she performs an over-the-top, sweeping “medieval” style bow that turns into an almost theatrical dip, arms flung wide, body leaning dramatically forward as she intones with a flourish, “Pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty… It was so intense.”
The body language and tone, captured in the still images now circulating widely, show Meghan fully committed to the bit — head bowed low, arms outstretched in grand, almost mocking fashion. Harry, seated right next to her, watches with what many describe as a smirk or amused grin, making no move to temper the performance or show discomfort.
To her detractors, this wasn’t charming self-deprecation. This was open mockery of the woman who had been head of state, head of the Commonwealth, and the living embodiment of duty and service for over seven decades.
Why This Moment Cuts So Deep
Queen Elizabeth II was not just any royal. She was the only monarch most living Britons had ever known. She served through World War II, the Cold War, decolonization, the Good Friday Agreement, and into the 21st century. Her death in September 2022 triggered an unprecedented outpouring of national grief.
For many, seeing someone who married into that family — and who continues to trade on the royal connection for Netflix deals reportedly worth over $100 million — turn the Queen’s first meeting into a Medieval Times dinner show routine was unforgivable.
“This was the very second I came to despise that hussy,” one viral reaction captured the sentiment perfectly. Others called it “disrespectful,” “cringeworthy,” and “the moment she crossed the line.”
The fact that Harry — the Queen’s own grandson — sat there smirking rather than gently correcting the narrative or showing visible reverence has been interpreted by critics as complicity. “He looked on and did nothing,” as one angry post put it. For a man who has spent years talking about protecting his family’s legacy, this silent smirk has become Exhibit A in the case against him.
The Pattern Critics Say This Fits
This wasn’t an isolated slip. Detractors point to a broader pattern: the Oprah interview with its “no one asked if I was okay” narrative, the Spare memoir’s revelations about private family conversations, and the constant framing of “the institution” as toxic while still clinging to HRH titles and the Sussex brand.
But the curtsy moment stands out because it directly involves the late Queen — a figure even many republicans treated with personal respect. Turning her into the punchline of an “intense” medieval curtsy bit, performed for global streaming audiences, struck many as the ultimate act of ingratitude.
Harry’s failure to intervene or later distance himself from the portrayal has only compounded the damage. Royal experts and commentators noted at the time that he appeared “jarred” or uncomfortable in certain angles, yet he allowed the footage to air and has never publicly rebuked the reenactment.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Polls in the years since have shown the couple’s popularity in the United Kingdom at historic lows. While they retain support in certain American circles, the UK — the country whose monarchy they stepped back from — has largely turned against them. This single clip is repeatedly cited in comment sections and viral threads as the moment “the mask slipped.”
Even some who were initially sympathetic to their desire for privacy and mental health struggles have said this moment revealed something deeper: a fundamental lack of respect for the very institution that gave them their platform.
The Defense and the Reality
Supporters of the couple argue that Meghan was simply being her authentic, expressive self, that the curtsy story was told with humor to humanize a nerve-wracking moment, and that critics are deliberately misreading light-hearted storytelling as malice.
They point out that the Queen herself was reportedly warm and welcoming during the actual meeting. But even they struggle to explain why the demonstration had to be so theatrical, so “intense,” and why it was deemed appropriate content for a multi-million-dollar streaming deal.
The counter-argument from critics is simple: You don’t get to profit from the royal connection, attack the institution, and then mock the most respected member of that family on camera — all while the grandson who should know better sits there grinning.
This Is Why the Hatred Runs So Deep
The late Queen represented continuity, duty, and quiet service in a chaotic world. She never gave tell-all interviews. She never signed Netflix deals. She never turned private family moments into content.
For millions, Meghan and Harry’s entire post-royal career has felt like the opposite of everything the Queen stood for. The mock curtsy wasn’t just bad manners — it was symbolic of everything that followed: the monetization of their royal status, the selective storytelling, and the apparent inability to show genuine reverence for the woman at the center of it all.
Harry’s smirk in that moment has become shorthand for his perceived weakness and complicity. He didn’t defend his grandmother’s dignity on camera. He didn’t shut down the performance. He watched — and in the eyes of critics, he approved.
That, more than almost anything else, is why so many people say they will never forgive either of them.
The clip continues to circulate because it captures something raw and undeniable: a moment where respect for the late Queen was replaced by performance, and the man who should have protected that legacy chose silence and a smile instead.
Some mistakes are forgivable. According to a growing chorus of voices, this one never will be.
Photos: Stills from the viral Netflix documentary footage now circulating widely on social media.
The outrage is real. The moment is undeniable. And for millions of royal supporters, it remains the single biggest reason they turned their backs on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for good.
