The Duchess of Sussex has been criticised for appearing to move an Invictus Games’ attendee’s wheelchair without permission at the Invictus Games.
Meghan Markle, 43, and her husband, Prince Harry, 40, met with Team Canada at the True Patriot Love Foundation breakfast yesterday to celebrate the team and their friends and family before the official start of the 2025 games.
The conversation was in full flow among the teammates and the Montecito-based couple when a well-intentioned Meghan moved a team member’s wheelchair – but didn’t appear to ask for her permission beforehand.
In a short video clip, which was shared to Meghan’s Instagram, the team member stopped talking mid-conversation as the Duchess moved her towards the group in preparation for a photograph.
The incident has struck a nerve with wheelchair users on X, with one writing on the platform: ‘My daughter is in a wheelchair, and someone else trying to move it is a huge NO!
‘Their wheelchair is an extension of themselves. Meghan is in her personal space and needs to stop.’
Other social media users took to the comment section to agree that the 43-year-old should not have moved the wheelchair unless she gained permission beforehand.
One said: ‘So rude and disrespectful!’
The Duchess of Sussex is seen in footage apparently moving a Team Canada member whilst at the True Patriot Love Foundation breakfast in Vancouver yesterday
The athlete appeared to stop talking mid conversation as Meghan got her in position for a photograph; one social media user said: ‘My daughter is in a wheelchair, and someone else trying to move it is a huge NO!’
Another questioned: ‘Isn’t that woman in the wheelchair an athlete? Why does she need to be pushed?’
‘I’ve had that happen it’s very rude to presume you can just push someone without asking if they require assistance, disabled doesn’t mean dumb,’ said another.
A fourth added: ‘Some of the onlookers look horrified too.’
It comes after Meghan Markle offered the perfect riposte to Donald Trump’s recent remarks about her relationship with Prince Harry, offering a ‘breathless’ display that shows she’s adoring – and, crucially, adored – at the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games.
Body language expert Judi James, who analysed the couple’s interactions at the fanfare ceremony in Vancouver, said it was clear that the Duchess of Sussex was determined to put on a loved-up display.
This week, the US president suggested he wouldn’t challenge Prince Harry about his immigration status, saying the royal had ‘enough problems with his wife’, wasping: ‘She’s terrible’.
Onlookers took to X to explain their thoughts on Meghan appearing to move the athlete – and many were upset
James told MailOnline the message to Mr Trump on Saturday night was clear, saying: ‘When he made his derogatory comments about Harry and Meghan, Meghan’s body language response seemed to be ‘Hold my coat’ as she put on one of the most emphatic sets of bonding and adoration rituals ever.’
With all the gusto of a Second Lady in the White House, the Duchess seemed to be very keen to show just how close the pair are, added the expert.
James explained: ‘During her intro speech welcoming her husband on stage, Meghan delivered in a similarly breathless, excitable, ‘spontaneous’ style as she did in her recent Insta post about the Billie Eilish merchandise.’
‘Her ‘Oh gosh’ delivery included traits like eye-rolling to suggest surprise, sighing breathlessly, tossing her hair and pushing it back from her face and even the same squealing and whispering to suggest barely-contained emotions.’
And despite the couple being wed for nearly seven years, there was more than a whiff of ‘just married’ about the pair’s appearance.
James said: ‘Her introduction of Harry involved the kind of coyness signals you’d normally see from a newlywed, implying deliberately to the audience that she was still embarrassed by her depth of feeling for him.
‘Her “I want to introduce a man who means a lot to me” came with more knowing ‘aside’ eye-rolls to the audience, a peacocking hair preen and a coy smile.’
The Duchess of Sussex, 43, packed on the PDA as she announced her husband and also while the pair watched the opening ceremony from the stands.
Tender face holding when all eyes were on the couple signified their almost ‘newlywed’ happiness, says body language expert Judi James – sending a powerful message about their relationship
The Duchess of Sussex seemed keen to prove that she was an adoring – and adored wife – with their appearance packed with PDAs
The perfect riposte? Meghan Markle appeared to use the Invictus Opening Ceremony as the perfect opportunity to pour scorn on Donald Trump’s comments about her relationship
Said James: ‘Meghan squealed and giggled and stepped back to hold her arms out to greet him with a kiss on the cheek before extending one arm to direct him towards the mic.
‘Sitting in the stands watching the ceremony, Meghan displayed herself in several poses of pride and love. She clung to Harry’s arm, leaning in towards him like a fan and clutching his hand in an ownership gesture that seemed to (unnecessarily) let everyone, including Trump, know “He’s all mine”.’
The affectionate display came shortly after Trump announced he had no plans to deport Harry from the US amid a legal battle over his immigration status because of his ‘problems with his wife’.
‘I don’t want to do that,’ Trump said on Friday. ‘I’ll leave him alone. He’s got enough problems with his wife. She’s terrible,’ he told the New York Post.
It seems the couple were both ready to show the world President Trump’s comments were wrong – whether it be on a golf buggy transporting them to their seats, or on stage.
Says James: ‘Meghan’s beaming smile involved heavy lip compressions and crinkling to emphasis pride in her man and she used face-touching rituals to register ownership, like stroking his cheek and neck with one hand and, in probably the biggest, most ‘triumphant’ public signal.
‘Standing to clasp his face in both her hands before kissing him on the lips as though sending her own personal hero off to make his appearance on stage.’
Meghan tentatively placing her hand on Harry’s arm during the ceremony with their fingers frequently interlocking; it was ‘an emphatic display of bonding’, says James
The former Suits actress was beaming as she raised her blue pom-poms in the air
The Duchess, who wrapped up in a long cream trench coat as she battled against Canada’s frosty temperatures, leaned against her husband before planting a big kiss, grabbing the attention of onlookers.
She also enthusiastically shook her pom-poms while placing a possessive hand on Harry.
‘Meghan used non-verbal signals to make herself seen as Harry’s own private cheerleader, literally lifting to large blue pom-poms at one point.
‘Her body language looked somewhere between a teenager on a date night and a proud mom at a school open night.
‘It was an emphatic display of bonding, with even references to packing lunch boxes for the school run and her “My husband, the father of my very sweet and exciting children” seeming to cement the fact that they are a very strong, ‘perfect’ and besotted family unit.’
