On Monday 19 September, thousands of mourners and members of the Royal Family attended the State Funeral at Westminster Abbey. During an interview with People about the event, funeral guest and attorney Pranav Bhanot talked about some of the moments he witnessed, including those between Meghan and Harry. Bhanot said there were points where the couple had to go “in different directions” after “walking together”, prompting Harry to offer his wife some extra support by giving her hand “a squeeze”. “You saw the reassurance Harry gave Meghan in moments when they were walking together and had to go their separate ways,” she said. “I noticed how supportive Harry was of Meghan,” Bannot added. “When they took separate instructions after the ceremony, he firmly shook her hand. I felt he wanted to make sure she was comfortable.” While sitting in the second row during the Queen’s service, Meghan and Harry were also seen holding hands and comforting each other. The Duchess was later spotted wiping away tears outside the Abbey after the funeral. Until Monday’s somber occasion, Meghan and Harry attended a memorial service at Westminster Hall, where they again held hands in a public display of affection that stood out from other royals. Afterwards, the pair’s PDA was met with mixed responses, with some praising the gesture and others claiming it was ‘disrespectful’. Many social media users also expressed that criticism of their holding hands was a ‘double standard’ as the Queen’s granddaughter Zara Tindall and her husband Mike Tindall also walked hand in hand as they left the service at Westminster last week. Along with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, many other people held their partner’s hands during Monday’s service, including Princess Eugenie and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. As they took their seats, several couples, including Zara and Mike and US President Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, were also seen holding hands. The Queen’s state funeral at Westminster and Windsor is now coming to an end as she is laid to rest in a private funeral attended by King Charles III and the rest of her royal family. Her casket will be placed alongside those of her late husband, Prince Philip, and her parents, King George VI and the Queen Mother.
