Meghan Markle Broke Royal Protocol to Give This 10-Year-Old Aspiring Actress a Hug
Meghan Markle is on a roll. A week after breaking royal protocol to highlight the importance of #MeToo and Time’s Up, the royal-to-be is once again bending the rules for a good reason—and on International Women’s Day, no less.
This time, she and Prince Harry were attending an event meant to encourage girls to pursue careers in STEM. One girl, however, had a different calling in mind. According to People, Prince Harry asked 10-year-old Sophia Richards what she wants to be when she grows up. When she told him she wanted to be an actress, the prince brought her over to meet Markle, who, if you’ll recall, is a TV acting vet.
“Meghan told me that I can achieve whatever I want to achieve,” Richards told People. “And Meghan said she would like to see me on TV when I become an actress. It was a dream come true. I will never forget this day.”After essentially launching Richards’ acting career, Markle then gave her a warm hug.
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND – MARCH 08: Meghan Markle hugs a child during a walkabout with Prince Harry at Millennium Point on March 8, 2018 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images)
Although heartwarming, Markle’s inspiring gesture is technically frowned upon if coming from a royal, Town & Country reported. That’s because members of the public typically greet royals in very specific ways. According to the royal family’s website, there are “no obligatory codes of behaviour” for greeting a royal, but “many people wish to observe the traditional forms,” which consist of a handshake, or else a neck bow for men and a curtsy for women. Straying from tradition to hug a young fan, however, doesn’t seem to be that big of a deal: Kate Middleton has done it a few times, as has Princess Diana, and Markle herself embraced a charity worker who was inspired by her UN speech just last month.
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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during an official photocall to announce the engagement of Prince Harry and actress Meghan Markle at The Sunken Gardens at Kensington Palace on November 27, 2017 in London, England. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been a couple officially since November 2016 and are due to marry in Spring 2018.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle took their first public pictures as a couple at Invictus Games Toronto.
Actress Meghan Markle leaves the “Today Show” taping at NBC Rockefeller Center on July 14.
Actress Meghan Markle enters the “Today Show” taping at NBC Rockefeller Center Studios on July 14, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Ray Tamarra/GC Images)
Actress Meghan Markle attends the Instagram Dinner held at the MARS Discovery District on May 31, 2016 in Toronto, Canada.
Meghan Markle attends Glamour and L’Oreal Paris Celebrate 2016 College Women Of The Year at NoMad Hotel Rooftop on April 27, 2016 in New York City.
Meghan Markle attends P.S. Arts’ The pARTy at NeueHouse Hollywood on May 20, 2016 in Los Angeles, California.
Actress Meghan Markle attends AOL Build Presents “Suits” at AOL Studios In New York on March 17, 2016 in New York City.
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA – JANUARY 20: Actress Meghan Markle attends ELLE’s 6th Annual Women In Television Dinner at Sunset Tower Hotel on January 20, 2016 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for ELLE)
Meghan Markle attends the 12th annual CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Awards at Spring Studios on November 2, 2015 in New York City.
Meghan Markle attends the Prada presents The Iconoclasts with Michael Wilkinson and Tim Martin event during the 2015 New York fashion week. Photo by BFAnyc.com.
Meghan Markle attends the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s 13th Annual An Enduring Vision Benefit at Cipriani Wall Street on October 28, 2014 in New York City.
Meghan Markle attends Wes Gordon runway show during MADE Fashion Week Fall 2015 at Milk Studios on February 13, 2015 in New York City.
Meghan Markle attends the UK Premiere of “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” at Odeon Leicester Square on November 11, 2013 in London, England.
NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 08: Model Meghan Markle poses backstage at the Herve Leger By Max Azria fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2014 at The Theatre at Lincoln Center on February 8, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week)
Meghan Markle attends the London Global Gift Gala at ME Hotel on November 19, 2013 in London, England.
Meghan Markle attends the Tory Burch fashion show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring at David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center on September 10, 2013 in New York City.
Meghan Markle attends the Novak Djokovic Foundation New York dinner at Capitale on September 10, 2013 in New York City.
Meghan Markle attends the Gala Tribute To Cate Blanchett during the 51st New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center on October 2, 2013 in New York City.
Megan Markle arrives on the red carpet at the 2013 MuchMusic Video Awards at Bell Media Headquarters on June 16, 2013 in Toronto, Canada.
Meghan Markle attends USA Network 2013 Upfront Event at Pier 36 on May 16, 2013 in New York City.
Meghan Markle attends the ELLE’s Women in Television Celebration at Soho House on January 24, 2013 in West Hollywood, California.
Meghan Markle arrives at NBC Universal’s 70th Annual Golden Globe Awards after party held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 13, 2013 in Beverly Hills, California.
Meghan Markle attends The Paley Center for Media’s presentation of An Evening With “Suits” at The Paley Center for Media on January 14, 2013 in Beverly Hills, California.
Meghan Markle arrives at the GQ Men of the Year Party at Chateau Marmont on November 13, 2012 in Los Angeles, California.
Meghan Markle attends TV Guide Magazine’s 2012 Hot List Party at SkyBar at the Mondrian Los Angeles on November 12, 2012 in West Hollywood, California.
Meghan Markle attends the HBO Luxury Lounge Featuring L’Oreal Paris And New Era Cap – Day 1 at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles on January 14, 2012 in Beverly Hills, California.
Meghan Markle arrives at the 13th Annual InStyle And The Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s Toronto International Film Festival Party at the Windsor Arms Hotel on September 11, 2012 in Toronto, Canada.
Meghan Markle attends the USA Network’s and The Moth’s Storytelling Tour “A More Perfect Union: Stories of Prejudice and Power” at the Pacific Design Center on February 15, 2012 in West Hollywood, California.
