The Royal Family were once stunned into silence by Meghan Markle’s response to a question asked by Princess Kate.

Prince Harry wrote about the awkward incident in his tell-all memoir Spare, revealing that the awkward exchange took place after Trooping the Colour in 2018, held to celebrate the late Queen’s official birthday celebrations.

The couple had just returned to the UK following their 10-day honeymoon in the Mediterranean, and were making one of their “first public appearances as newlyweds” at the ceremony.

For the occasion, Meghan wore a baby pink, off-the-shoulder Carolina Herrera outfit with a matching pink fascinator, while Prince Harry appeared in his full military uniform.

During the event, the couple rode together in a carriage, before gathering with the rest of the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to greet the crowd of well-wishers gathered below.

According to Prince Harry, “everyone present was in a good mood, upbeat” during the Trooping of the Colour. But the mood allegedly changed after Kate asked Meghan what she’d thought of the celebration.

“But then: Kate asked Meg what she thought of her first Trooping the Colour. And Meg joked: Colourful,” Harry wrote. “And a yawning silence threatened to swallow us all whole.”

Elsewhere in his book, the Prince shared his version of the fallouts and tensions between Meghan and his family in the lead-up to the wedding – which likely contributed to the awkward feelings at Trooping. He detailed a row between Kate and Meghan at a bridesmaid dress fitting, and said Kate grimaced when Meghan asked to borrow lip gloss at an event.

He also wrote that Kate was “on edge”, as she was now “going to be compared to, and forced to compete with, Meg”.

Harry’s comments about the princess are said to have been the final nail in the coffin for Prince William. According to royal expert and author Katie Nicholl, it also led to a complete breakdown in Kate and Harry’s relationship.

She previously told The Sun: “When you think of the personal revelations, and I think you can call them snide remarks made about Kate in Spare, Harry broke the one rule and that is staying silent on family matters.

“While Kate and Harry used to be very, very close, there’s been a complete breakdown of that relationship. I don’t think Kate does angry. I think it is more a case of feeling very disappointed, very let down and feeling hurt knowing that she had no right of reply – and Harry knew full well she had no right of reply.”

Katie continued: “I do know that William was very angry that Harry had drawn Kate into it when he felt Kate was blameless throughout. She acted very much as the peacekeeper, she tried to get the brothers back on an even keel and for Kate to be dragged into this mucky saga was upsetting for her and certainly did infuriate William.”

The Sunday Times also reports that the Prince of Wales simply can’t get past the comments Harry made about his wife. “William is unlikely to forgive Harry any time soon for his slights against Kate in Spare, among them the suggestion she was cold towards Meghan. Those close to William say his brother rarely comes up in conversation.”

“This year his focus has very much been on his wife, his children and his father,’ a friend said. ‘His brother isn’t really something that’s discussed.”