They almost kissed 😭 #meghanmarkle #balenciaga #runaway #parisfashionweek #princeharry
“That was awkward,” one Instagram user commented. Another wrote simply, “Omg sooo awkward.” Some went further, accusing Piccioli of overstepping: “He got way too close. Have some respect for women,” one user complained, while another added, “That long embrace was very inappropriate.”
Others dismissed the uproar entirely, calling it an overreaction to a European-style greeting. Yet the question many were left asking was simple — where was Harry?
Controversy Follows in Paris
While Meghan appeared alone in Paris, her social media activity the following day stirred a fresh wave of criticism. On October 5, the Duchess posted an Instagram clip showing her relaxing in the back of a limousine, her feet casually propped up as the car drove through the city.
The video, shot from her point of view, captured sweeping views of Paris’s landmarks — Pont Alexandre III, Pont des Invalides — before seemingly continuing toward Pont de l’Alma, the tunnel where Princess Diana tragically died in 1997.
The choice of route struck a nerve with royal watchers. Given Prince Harry’s open grief over his mother’s death, many online found the timing and location of the clip deeply insensitive.
“She knew exactly what she was doing,” one commenter wrote. Another called it “incredibly inappropriate on every level.” Others accused Meghan of being thoughtless toward her husband’s emotions: “Why post this if you know it triggers him?” one fan asked.
Some defended her, arguing the backlash was exaggerated. “Omg seriously, this is a super stretch,” one supporter replied under a critical post.
Still, for many, the imagery was too loaded to ignore. The combination of her headline-making moment at Balenciaga and the contentious video near such a symbolic site ensured Meghan’s Paris weekend became one of her most discussed appearances in recent memory.
