Harry & Meghan Avoided 'Mutual Touch' after Reportedly Learning about Being 'Uninvited' from Reception from Press

• "Harry and Meghan got the invitation, and no one has told them they are uninvited."

• Meghan Markle and Prince Harry tried to keep their distance to avoid drawing attention to themselves.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have once again been snubbed by the Royal Family and found out by the media. An insider revealed the royal couple had no idea they were "uninvited" to a prestigious event at Buckingham Palace.

Per Page Six, multiple insiders disclosed that after reading press reports, Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, discovered they were unwelcome at a state reception for world dignitaries.

The royal couple received an invitation to the event on September 18, 2022. However, King Charles III's spokesperson revealed the invite was only extended to "working members of the royal family".

A royal insider disclosed that while the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did receive an invitation, no one had informed them that they were no longer welcome:

"Harry and Meghan actually got the invitation, and no one has actually told them they are uninvited."

Another palace source revealed: "I'm told they only found out they were uninvited by reading press reports." The state reception had US President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister, and French President Emmanuel Macron in attendance, among others.

King Charles and his wife, Camilla Queen Consort, hosted the event ahead of Queen Elizabeth II's funeral on September 19, 2022.

Amid the mourning period, a source close to Prince Harry and Markle revealed the duo would keep a distance to avoid drawing attention to themselves. They were also reportedly keen to do whatever was requested of them by the Royal Family. However, that did not go according to plan as it has been said they broke royal protocols.

The Sussexes Received Mixed Reactions for Public Affection

Per Fox News, the royal couple's public affection after Her Majesty's lying-in-state service sparked mixed reactions from the public. The pair held hands while leaving Westminster Hall, while other royal couples involved in the procession did the opposite.

Royal expert, Shannon Spence, told the outlet that while the Sussexes' PDA was a "loving show of support" for the prince, the Royal Family was "on the job", regardless:

"While there are no formal 'rules' against PDA, we don't often see it from the royals because usually when we see them, they are on the job. They are presenting their most professional appearance."

Spence explained public affection displays are often seen from Royal Family members, including the Prince and Princess of Wales, at unofficial events, such as sports outings.

Regarding the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's hand-holding at the funeral, social media users slammed Markle for the gesture, while others called her "supportive".

Days after the royal couple got criticized for the PDA, they ditched their signature public affection. The duo kept their distance throughout the Queen's funeral service at Westminster Abbey.

Per the Daily Mail, body language expert Katia Loisal explained that the change in the pair's behavior could have been a reaction following the backlash over their prominent public affection display.

When the Duke and Duchess participated in a procession behind Prince William, Kate Middleton, Prince George, and Princess Charlotte, they kept a "formal distance" while walking side-by-side.

Loisal told 7Life, via the Daily Mail, that many people in a procession walk with their arms by their side. However, Markle participated differently:

"A somber Meghan kept her head bowed, eyes downcast and hands clasped in front, in a self-protective gesture indicating a level of discomfort or uncertainty, and perhaps as a sign of respect."

She and her husband maintained their "rigid" formal distance once they sat down. However, once they left Westminster Abbey, the prince gave his wife's hand a "firm squeeze," said a fellow mourner who attended the funeral.

The guest, attorney Pranav Bhanot, revealed to People that he noticed that the Duke of Sussex was relatively "supportive" toward the Duchess of Sussex:

"When they went their separate directions after the ceremony, he gave her a firm squeeze of the hand. I felt he wanted to ensure she felt comfortable."

Bhanot added that sometime during the service, Prince Harry offered the mother of his kids "reassurance" while walking together before they went in different directions.

The Royal Couple Missed Their Kids & Wanted to Leave Instantly

Per the Daily Mail, the royal couple stayed at Windsor after reuniting with the Royal Family to mourn the Queen. Still, they were said to leave for America immediately after the monarch's funeral.

The pair had not seen their son and daughter, Archie and Lilibet, for nearly three weeks since they landed in the UK on September 3, 2022. They were expected to remain briefly in England, but that changed after the passing of Her Majesty.

The Duke had to cancel his appearance at the WellChild Awards in London upon learning that his grandmother's health had deteriorated and rushed to Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Sadly, he did not make it on time to see her before she died on September 8, 2022, at age 96.

Though Markle did not accompany him to go and see the sovereign on her deathbed, she was by his side during several official events over the 10-day mourning period, including the Queen's funeral.

Following the burial, an insider revealed to Us Weekly that the couple could not wait to see their young brood in California, adding the grieving period had been the "longest time" the pair had been away from their kids.

The source added that the Duke and Duchess missed their offspring terribly and FaceTimed them during their stay in the UK but could not wait to be reunited with them and "hold them again."

Per Express, Archie and Lilibet are believed to have been left in the care of their grandmother, Doria Ragland, during their parents' absence.

Prince Harry and Markle have not traveled with their children on any work trips since stepping down as senior royals in January 2020. The royal couple relocated to the US in late March 2020, days before officially leaving the Royal Family as its working members.