How Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's kiss in public nudged duchess to change her public persona
The pair were engaged later that year
Seeing Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sharing a quick kiss might not be the most groundbreaking shot for the paparazzi these days.
But back in 2017, this was a big deal for many royal observers.
The former Suits star attended the Audi Polo Challenge at Coworth Park in Ascot back in 2017, where she watched Prince Harry and Prince William compete.
It was here that Harry and Meghan were snapped getting cosy. A moment which would seem to spur Meghan on to change the trajectory of her career and public persona…
How Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s public kiss changed Meghan’s future
The future Duke and Duchess of Sussex hit things off just a year before Harry eventually popped the question and their engagement was revealed in November of 2017.
Harry and Meghan attended the first day of polo matches at the tournament in May of 2017.
Meanwhile, Meghan attempted to keep a low profile.
She was photographed sporting sunglasses and evidently left her obvious affections for Harry for the sidelines.
Meghan was introduced to some of Harry’s closest confidants during the tournament. Meghan was even seen chatting with his so-called “mentor”, former Army officer Mark Dyer.
Later, a snap of Harry and Meghan smooching would be splashed across the press. Thus, confirming the growing seriousness of their relationship.
The outing took place just a month before Meghan would make a huge move regarding her career.
Meghan Markle on taking down her lifestyle blog
Meghan took down her lifestyle blog, The Tig, highlighting an obvious shift in her plans for the future.
Announcing the closure on The Tig’s homepage and her Instagram, Meghan emotionally penned a lengthy message to her fans.
She said: “After close to three beautiful years on this adventure with you, it’s time to say goodbye to The Tig.
“What began as a passion project (my little engine that could) evolved into an amazing community of inspiration, support, fun and frivolity.”
“You’ve made my days brighter and filled this experience with so much joy,” she went on to say.
“Keep finding those Tig moments of discovery, keep laughing and taking risks, and keep being ‘the change you wish to see in the world.
“Above all, don’t ever forget your worth – as I’ve told you time and time again: you, my sweet friend, you are enough. Thank you for everything.”
The move likely came to honour the royal family’s usual approach to a social media presence.
Senior members of the monarchy have official social media accounts, which are managed by household teams.
These profiles usually do not feature personal updates, unlike Meghan’s social media pages at the time.
Read more: Real reason Meghan Markle’s marriage to first husband Trevor Engelson ended in divorce
So, what do you think? Do you think the smooching snap spurred on Meghan’s rebrand? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page.
