Prince Harry, Meghan Markle dreaded 'hostile' Jubilee reception, says pal

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were booed when they arrived for the Thanksgiving service at St. Paul's Cathedral on June 3.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly felt unwelcome when they visited the U.K. to join the royals for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex quietly arrived in the country on June 2 with their children Archie and Lilibet, and stayed low-key for the duration of the four-day celebration. They only appeared with the royals publicly at the Thanksgiving service at St. Paul's Cathedral on June 3.

But even there they could not deny the frostiness of how the public and the royals reportedly greeted them. They were welcomed with a mix of cheers and boos outside the cathedral, and inside it was said to be very awkward. Prince William, Kate Middleton, Camilla, and Prince Charles did not even bother to greet them or even make eye contact.

A source close to the duchess told Heat magazine, "Harry and Meghan knew there would be awkward moments, but they had no idea how hostile the reception would be. The reception from the royals felt decidedly unwelcoming."

The boos from the public which greeted them upon their arrival at the cathedral was said to be very hard for Prince Harry. The insider claimed, "Being ridiculed like that was very hard for Harry to take." He reportedly "tries not to read the negative things written about them, but there was no avoiding it."

"They've been accused of milking their fame and being money-hungry. There were plenty of cheers for them, too, but they know some of the public didn't want them to come back for the Jubilee and that was really hurtful," the source continued.

The "kick in the teeth" moment during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations was reportedly when Prince William and Kate Middleton did not attend Lilibet's birthday party on June 4. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had invited them but they were miles away in Cardiff, Wales with Prince George and Princess Charlotte for an official visit. The insider claimed that "it just strengthened her resolve to not come back."

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left the U.K. quietly on June 5. They did not join the royals in watching the Platinum Jubilee Pageant parade from Buckingham Palace.