Dagenham, East London – Every year on March 8th, the world pauses to celebrate **International Women’s Day**, honoring the achievements, strength, and rights of women and girls everywhere. But let’s take a moment to revisit one of the most talked-about – and frankly uncomfortable – royal moments tied to the date: Meghan Markle’s 2020 “surprise” visit to Robert Clack Upper School.
What was meant to be an empowering assembly celebrating the “women of the future” quickly became something else entirely when the then-Duchess of Sussex appeared to zero in on one particular 16-year-old boy, showering him with repeated hugs and attention – including what witnesses described as enthusiastic full-body embraces – while seemingly overlooking the very girls the event was supposed to spotlight.
The visit took place on March 6, 2020, just days before International Women’s Day, at the mixed secondary school in Dagenham. Meghan, in one of her final solo engagements as a working royal, toured classrooms, viewed student projects on female poets and writers, and delivered a speech urging young men to “value the women in your lives” and ensure they feel “valued and safe.”
But the real buzz – and controversy – came during the assembly with around 700 students. Meghan invited a “brave young man” to join her on stage to discuss the role of boys and men in supporting gender equality. Step forward 16-year-old Aker Okoye, the school’s head boy, who eagerly bounded up.
In footage that went viral at the time, Aker didn’t hold back. He went straight in for a kiss on the cheek and a hug before even speaking. Then, after declaring to the crowd and cameras, “She really is beautiful, innit?” – prompting Meghan to laugh and playfully wag her finger – the pair shared another warm, full embrace at the end of his remarks. The audience erupted in cheers, and the moment was captured in clips shared on the Sussexes’ official Instagram.
What started as a lighthearted, starstruck interaction soon sparked whispers and side-eyes. Critics pointed out how the spotlight shifted dramatically to this one teenage boy, with Meghan seemingly happy to reciprocate the affection in a way that felt overly familiar for a public figure meeting schoolchildren. Reports noted she threw open her arms for the hug, and the encounter left Aker visibly thrilled – so much so that he later wrote a handwritten apology note to Prince Harry, saying: “I hope you didn’t mind me cuddling your wife. I was just overwhelmed and shocked to see her arrive at my school… I was starstruck.”
The letter, published by outlets like The Sun, added fuel to the narrative: even the boy himself seemed to sense the interaction might have crossed a line, though Meghan reportedly found it amusing.
But here’s where it gets really eyebrow-raising for International Women’s Day observers. While the event was explicitly about empowering young women – with students presenting work on gender equality and women’s rights – the most memorable and widely circulated moments centered on Meghan and this one boy. Multiple hugs, a cheek kiss initiated by him (which she accepted), and gushing compliments dominated headlines and social media.
Where were the equivalent warm, spotlight-stealing interactions with the girls in the audience? Sources from the day describe Meghan meeting students and accepting bouquets, but nothing matched the prolonged, physical enthusiasm reserved for Aker. Some online commentators at the time quipped that it seemed Meghan “only hugs boys on International Women’s Day,” turning what should have been a day amplifying female voices into a bizarre showcase of one teenage boy’s charmed encounter.
Defenders of the Duchess argue it was all innocent – a spontaneous, feel-good moment with a polite and excited student during her farewell royal duties. Aker himself called it “the best day of my life so far” and praised Meghan as “truly inspirational.” The school’s own website celebrated the visit as a positive surprise that left students buzzing.
Yet for many watching from afar, especially on a day dedicated to women and girls, the optics were off. In an era where boundaries, consent, and equal attention matter more than ever, the focus on repeated full-body hugs with a 16-year-old boy – while the girls’ contributions faded into the background – felt tone-deaf at best, and downright yucky at worst.
Years later, the clip still resurfaces on platforms like TikTok, often with captions joking about the boy “rizzing” Meghan or stealing the show. But beneath the memes lies a lingering question: On a day meant to celebrate and uplift women, why did the narrative get hijacked by one lucky (or overly forward) teenage boy?
As we mark another International Women’s Day, it’s worth remembering this awkward chapter – not to vilify anyone, but to remind us all that true empowerment means keeping the spotlight where it belongs: on the girls and women who deserve it most.
What do you think – harmless fun or a missed opportunity? Drop your thoughts below. 👇
