Harry & Meghan PDA Moments That Caused A Stir

Since the start of their relationship, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been under constant scrutiny. They've been through many stages of life, going from being engaged to being married to becoming parents and stepping back from the crown, all while having the press and the public analyze their every move. But even with all eyes on them, Meghan and Harry are one royal couple that don't shy away from PDA (public displays of affection). In contrast, Prince William and Kate Middleton's PDA moments are much rarer.

But, after stepping down as senior royals, Meghan and Harry are more free to express themselves as they choose. Whether they are at an official engagement, doing advocacy work, or on a more casual outing, you can spot the couple holding hands, cuddling close, and sharing glances and kisses. While fans find their tenderness toward each other endearing, others have criticized it as being over-the-top or out of place. Wherever they go, their PDA always seems to cause public conversation and some controversy.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding day was full of beautiful moments. After the ceremony, they shared a viral kiss exiting the chapel. Cosmopolitan reported that this kiss broke with tradition because they were the first royal couple who married at St George's Chapel to kiss on the steps. When Prince Harry's brother, Prince William, married Kate Middleton, they also had a public kiss, but because their wedding was at Buckingham Palace it took place on the balcony. Prince Harry and Meghan didn't have a breathtaking balcony, but they still found a way to celebrate their union by kissing on the steps in front of the assembled crowd. "Their kiss upon leaving St George's Chapel was the first ever royal kiss to be had on the steps outside the West Door, despite it being the location for many a royal wedding previously," Bridebook told Cosmopolitan.

Royal fans in the crowd and online loved seeing the sweet moment between the new husband and wife, and comments came flooding in from well-wishers. One wrote under a video shared by BBC, "I can't get enough of them! This is what love looks like! Congratulations to both of them. Many blessings for years to come!" Another commenter who particularly enjoyed the royal kiss wrote, "I think what made their kiss so romantic, so full of truth, is that they held each other's eyes after the kiss...and the moment was for them." Clearly, fans didn't mind the break from royal tradition.

Even before their marriage, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry knew how to turn on the royal charm together. In March 2018, the engaged couple visited Birmingham for International Women's Day.As an actor, Meghan was no stranger to life in the spotlight, but participating in royal engagements was still new for her. Thanks to her fiance's support, she handled it all with grace. While greeting the crowds, they kept their PDA minimal while still offering comfort to one another. The huge crowds assembled to welcome them could have been overwhelming, but Prince Harry was quick to put a reassuring hand on Meghan's back and gently guide her through the royal engagement.

"I love how protective he is with her. Handsome," one user wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Another royal fan thought that Harry's attentiveness did a great job putting Meghan at ease in her new role. "[They're] truly a dynamic duo!" the user commented on a YouTube video of the visit posted by The Royal Family Channel. "Meghan is getting more comfortable and relaxed. She seems very approachable. Harry is absolutely madly in love with her and happy to have Meghan at his side. Terrific!" While keeping one another close, Harry and Meghan made a wonderful impression on the Birmingham locals and showed how well they work as a couple.

While many royal couples keep PDA to a minimum, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have always been a bit more touchy with each other. This was especially true during their 2018 royal tour to Australia, Fiji, Tonga, and New Zealand. During their many public engagements, they were almost inseparable. The pair were seen holding hands, linking arms, and cuddling up to each other on countless ocasions. Although a lot of people thought Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's newly-wed affection was endearing, others thought it was distracting. "It's now starting to come across as clingy, needy and insecure and more importantly actually quite unprofessional," a royal enthusiast told Maclean's. "It is jarring. We just have not seen this before in the royal family."

However, public opinion was quite split. While some found their PDA inappropriate, others couldn't get enough. An Instagram fan account shared a clip where Prince Harry is holding Meghan's hand, then reaches his second hand behind his back to hold it with both. Many fans were obsessed with this display. The poster wrote in the caption, "A new hand-holding style is born. I call it super PDA... Harry, please keep showing the world how a man should properly treat and love his woman. Can't get enough of these two."

Prince Harry founded the Invictus Games, a sporting event for wounded service members and veterans, in 2014. And as Harry's wife, Meghan Markle has started to play a key role in the event. In 2022, she introduced her husband for his opening ceremony speech. "I could not love and respect him more, and I know that all of you feel the same," she said when welcoming Harry to the stage (via X). Before leaving the stage, Meghan and Harry shared a quick kiss in front of the audience.

A public kiss like this is rare for royals and something many online critics took issue with. Several commenters found it to be a distraction, especially for an event that was meant to focus on veterans. "This is so inappropriate this isn't [supposed] to be a love story this is [supposed] to be about our brave soldiers," one viewer wrote under a YouTube video posted by The Independent. Others felt that the kiss seemed stiff or staged. "When a couple tries too hard to look sweet, the truth is they're headed for divorce. So fake," another viewer said.

Perhaps part of the reason many royals in the spotlight avoid kissing in public is to steer clear of backlash like this from the public. Although Harry and Meghan may have only wanted to share a sweet moment, the public response was quite harsh.

In August 2024, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited Colombia to promote The Parents Network, a foundation they founded to help parents whose families have been negatively impacted by social media use. But, many photos from the visit looked more like a vacation than a work trip. They were seen participating in a drum circle, dancing, and visiting many beautiful locations together. In true Prince Harry and Meghan Markle fashion, they were rarely spotted not holding hands. However, their PDA seemed even more prevalent than usual on this trip. In one memorable moment, Markle leaned into Harry, who kissed the top of her head lovingly. It would be very rare to see that kind of physical affection between acting royals, but since Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior royals, they have a bit more freedom.

Although it's nice to see a couple happy and in love, some found Meghan and Harry's honeymoon behavior distracting and even thought it was played up for the cameras. An Instagram post sharing the cozy moment had many commenters complaining that their affection seemed like acting. However, there were others jumping to Meghan and Harry's defense. "The jealousy in these comments is to be expected. Keep shining Harry and Meghan," one fan responded.

In April 2024, Prince Harry participated in a charity polo match called the Royal Salute Polo Challenge. Meghan Markle also attended the event to support her husband. She looked particularly chic in a cream halterneck dress with a cutout in the bodice. After winning the match, Meghan presented the large silver trophy to Harry and his team. They kissed as she handed him the trophy before standing with the rest of the polo team to pose for photos.

This sweet moment went viral on Tiktok. Fans couldn't get enough of their kiss and Meghan's exquisite style. Many commented on how beautiful Meghan looked and how in love the two seemed, saying that they still act like "newlyweds."

It just goes to show that you really can't make everyone happy. Harry and Meghan are often criticized for being too affectionate in public, but there are others who love seeing the couple have these more touchy moments. And while many critics have accused them of playing up romance for cameras, these Tiktok viewers seemed to find it completely natural. "The way they are playful with each other you can feel the love," one of the most liked comments on the video read.

In July 2022, Prince Harry delivered a UN speech to commemorate Nelson Mandela Day. Despite years of being a public figure, Harry still seemed to have a lot of nerves going into the engagement, but Meghan was there for him throughout the evening.

The royal couple arrived at the event together holding hands, but as it got closer to Harry's big speech, things seemed to get more tense. At one point, when they were holding hands in their seats, Harry removed his hand from Meghan's, seeming to brush her off. But, the Duchess simply took his hand back, placing it in her lap and holding his arm. This strange interaction went viral. One user posted it on X, commenting, "Something is very wrong here," and many believed this was a sign of their relationship fracturing.

However, body language expert Judi James had a different opinion. Speaking to The U.K. Sun, she said that Harry pulling his hand away was likely a part of his anxiety and jitters before his speech. "A much calmer and more poised Meghan went into firm parental mode, using a correctional gesture to ensure reassurance after Harry appeared to dismiss or shrug off her hand clasp," she said to explain Markle taking her husband's hand back. "Meghan may have decided to be insistent about the double hand clasp because she could 'feel' and see Harry's nerves building up."

The royal family faced a sad loss in September 2022 when the long-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, passed away. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attended the funeral along with many world leaders honoring the late queen. While many were saddened by the loss, the funeral was especially difficult for Prince Harry and Willam. But, despite everything he was going through, Harry still found small ways to show affection and reassure his wife on the stressful day.

Pranav Bhanot, a guest at the royal funeral, opened up to People about some of the touching moments of affection he saw between Meghan and Harry. He said that there were a few times that they had to separate from each other, and Harry always made sure Meghan felt secure before leaving her side. "When they went their separate directions after the ceremony, he gave her a firm squeeze of the hand. I felt he wanted to ensure she felt comfortable," he said.

While walking in the funeral procession, the pair broke with formality to hold hands, a stark contrast to Prince William and Kate Middleton, who remained separate in their spots in front of them. Some critics didn't appreciate this PDA during a somber moment, but others found it to be a nice way to support one another. Reporting on the public debate, a host of Breakfast Television said, "There's a moment you are with your spouse and you need comforting, and if that means holding their hand it means holding their hand."

Just a few weeks after giving birth to their first child, Prince Archie of Sussex, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attended a Major League Baseball game between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox held in London. It was an exciting day with many adorable moments between the Duke and Duchess caught on camera.

They stood on the field for the national anthem and posed for photos with Invictus Games athletes before heading to their seats to watch the game. Despite the exhaustion of new parenthood, Meghan and Harry looked happy and more in love than ever. The pair held hands, walking on and off the pitch and as they stood for the national anthem. There was also a sweet moment when Harry put his arm around Meghan as they stood for photos.

Fans on YouTube were happy to see the couple together and in good spirits, especially because it was a surprise appearance from Meghan so soon after giving birth. One fan expressed the feelings of many when they commented, "I was so glad to see her, and to see them together. I didn't realize just how much I missed seeing her until I saw her with her husband."

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle entered a huge deal with Netflix to produce several series. However, their recent Netflix series "Polo" was their biggest flop yet and garnered many criticisms. In January 2025, the trailer for their latest Netflix collab, "With Love, Meghan," was released, and it has a lot to prove in order to save the couple's good name with the streaming platform. The lifestyle series features Meghan and famous guests who are invited to her home to enjoy food, gardening, and hosting.

While the series seems to be mostly about Meghan, the sneak peek released by Netflix had a surprise pop-in from her Prince Charming. During the trailer, Meghan is seen leaning in for a hug with Prince Harry as they enjoy drinks outside. But, beyond that lightning-fast moment of PDA, it's unclear how prominent Harry will be in the project. Although she has several guests on the series, it's hard to say if her husband will be one of them. Despite the quick show of affection between the pair, many viewers seem less and less impressed by the couple and unconvinced that they are in love. Many YouTube users saw the trailer as  just another attempt for Harry and Meghan to rebrand.

It seems Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have some of their most loving moments at sporting events. The pair shared another public kiss after a 2022 polo match in Santa Barbara, California. Meghan attended the sporting event in a stylish polka dot blouse, wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses. When she kissed her husband, the Duchess coyly put her hand in front of their mouths to partially shield the PDA from onlookers.

But despite this privacy shield, some observers were still unimpressed by the spotlight-stealing affection. When Entertainment Tonight referred to the kiss as a "rare" instance of PDA commenters took issue, with many claiming the couple is frequently too touchy with one another. "They do it everywhere and you know what they say trouble in the relationship cover it up with lots of PDA," one harsh critic wrote under the video. But other viewers defended the couple. It's clear the public may never agree on Harry and Meghan's relationship, but their bond will always get people talking.