Prince Harry, the self-styled humanitarian and veteran advocate, has mastered the art of performative empathy. But he missed his cue when it came to greeting athletes at this week’s Invictus Games. Because he and Meghan ended up giving the royal wave as they glided past disabled veterans in a golf cart.
It was a spectacle of royal obliviousness so staggering it could make even King Charles wince. The irony? These veterans lost limbs in service, yet Harry, who has two fully functioning legs, couldn’t be bothered to use them.
Of course, Meghan is building a brand on the illusion of royalty, often affecting more royal airs than Harry himself. So it’s no surprise she lacked the common touch – or sense – to help him avoid their Marie Antoinette optics.
Their defenders will surely spin this as a matter of security, logistics, or “protocol.” But Queen Elizabeth herself popularized the royal walkabout – proof that such concerns are nonsense. Frankly, not since William and Kate greeted Jamaicans like colonists on safari have British royals displayed such tone-deafness.