Report: Meghan Markle giggles as model ‘stumbles on the catwalk’
Meghan Markle is facing claims she may have made yet another front row blunder at Paris Fashion Week – with new video emerging of her appearing to laugh as a model took a tumble on the Balenciaga catwalk, next to her stony-faced friend.
Footage from behind the scenes also captures the moment she appears to attempt to make conversation with British actress Slow Horses star Dame Kristin Scott Thomas, who was seen turning away from her, leaving her awkwardly hanging. The Four Weddings And A Funeral star, 65, whose character Fiona famously married Prince Charles at the end of the film, previously joined King Charles and Queen Camilla for a state banquet at Windsor Castle in honour of President Macron in July, appearing to confirm her position as a close ally of the royal family.
And after she was awarded her damehood by the late Queen in 2015, she went on to play her in the West End revival of Peter Morgan’s play, The Audience. Despite being her first attempt to be taken seriously by the world of high fashion, Meghan’s whirlwind tour has been beset by gaffes and awkward moments. Over the weekend, the Duchess of Sussex was condemned for an ‘utterly bewildering’ clip posted to her Instagram ‘story’ which showed her feet resting on the leather seats of a limo as she was driven along the same rout where Princess Diana ‘s journey ended in tragedy as her driver smashed into a pillar in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in 1997.
She also shared an awkward kiss with Balenciaga’s designer Pier Paolo Piccioli – and ended up butting heads with him as they leaned in for an embrace. In the latest clip, Meghan could be seen watching the fashion show from the front row, sat next to her close friend, Marcus Anderson, Soho House brand’s creative director. At one point, the Duchess was seen reacting with amusement, firstly gasping with horror before giggling behind her hands and turning to chat to Marcus, who remained stony-faced. When her friend didn’t seem amused, Meghan turned back around to watch the show with a more neutral expression, though a representative insisted she was not laughing at the model falling. One person speculated: ‘I think it was someone tripping or falling because the girl behind her mouths ‘Oh!’ ‘Somebody probably fell,’ a second said, while a third noted: ‘Others react to it, just not as obviously as she did.’
Speaking afterwards on GB News, Charlotte Griffiths, Editor-at-large of the Mail on Sunday, said: ‘She did seem a little bit out of place in Paris, if I’m going to be honest. She seemed a bit nervous. ‘At one point, she sat on the front row, and a model tripped. She burst out laughing. And then she obviously realised that was quite a cruel thing to do, so she sort of covered it up. She did seem quite poised, but she did seem a little bit nervous there.’
It has not been confirmed that a model fell over, and Meghan may have simply been sharing a moment of laughter with her friend. Nonetheless, royal fans were left baffled that she was the ‘only one laughing’ – seeming at odds with the rest of the audience, who watched the show in silence and with neutral expressions. A representative for Meghan said she wasn’t laughing at the model. The Daily Mail has also reached out to Paris Fashion Week, Balenciaga for comment. Here is how her catwalk of catastrophe unfolded.
‘Zoolander’ walk
Meghan was also mocked for her ‘Zoolander’ walk, as observers noticed the Duchess of Sussex appeared to be sashaying as she left the Balenciaga show in Paris. The first video posted to her Instagram story on Saturday evening was a teaser of her £745 Balenciaga ‘Knife’ heels as she strutted out of the £2,210-per-night Plaza Athénée hotel. But critics today likened the Duchess to Zoolander – the dim-witted character made famous by Ben Stiller in the 2001 hit comedy. ‘Meghan Markle trying to give Zoolander a run for his supermodel walk,’ one said.
Other commenters ridiculed ‘self-obsessed’ Meghan for appearing to make the show all about her. ‘Meghan, you’re not a model, they’re simply just walking you to your seat! Meghan walking with her cape like she’s the second coming of the Messiah,’ one wrote. However, others complimented the Duchess and said: ‘Love that energy. Channel your inner princess,’ and another said: ‘She is so elegant and has always had style.’
Meghan cut an elegant figure in a stylish white oversized button-through ensemble with an incorporated cape and, according to some observers at least, certainly had the strut of a fashionista. Appearing amongst high-profile celebrity guests such as Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, FKA Twigs and Anne Hathaway, Meghan had her own catwalk moment as she channelled her inner supermodel in front of numerous cameras while exiting the star-studded show. With her lips slightly parted, the Duchess struck her best pose as she confidently exited the venue with her entourage. She then paused before getting into her blacked out minivan. One person commented on the video: ‘Why is she walking like that?’ Another replied: ‘Thought the same thing. That’s the ‘I’m very important you know’ walk.’ A fourth wasped: ‘She’s trying way too hard. It almost looks like parody.’
