Royal Expert Warns: Prince Harry Likely Hurt by Meghan Markle’s ‘Pont de l’Alma Tunnel’ Video — A Painful Reminder of Diana’s Fatal Crash Could Stir Deep Emotions
A recent Instagram Story by Meghan Markle, riding in a limo near Paris’ Pont de l’Alma tunnel — where Princess Diana tragically died in 1997 — has stirred public controversy, with royal commentators warning that Prince Harry could be deeply affected by the post. The video, shot during Meghan’s fashion-week visit to Paris, shows her with her feet up while traversing streets close to Diana’s crash site. Many have called the imagery “insensitive,” “bewildering,” and “disturbing,” sparking a debate about where respect, memory, and public figure privacy intersect.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams was among the sharpest in his response, branding the video “utterly bewildering” and “beyond stupid,” saying: “No adviser would ever advise doing something so strange.” He added that while Meghan may not have intended any offense, the choice “to film and post from there … is insensitive beyond belief.”
The emotional weight of the location for Harry is considerable. In his memoir Spare, Harry recounts driving through the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in 2007 at the same speed Diana’s car reportedly had been traveling, hoping the journey would help him process grief. Instead, he found the tunnel less dramatic in shape and structure than in memory but acknowledged it was a painful and deeply personal milestone.
For many, Meghan’s video evokes questions about sensitivity and awareness. Social media users expressed frustration, asking why Meghan would choose to film near a location with such significance. Critics argue that in a relationship as public as theirs, with Harry’s enduring connection to his mother’s legacy, such a post will likely be seen not as neutral but as a failure to reckon with that past. Supporters of Meghan counter that the video may have been innocent or unintentional, not meant to provoke or disrespect.
Harry’s reaction remains unreported. But royal experts and commentators warn this moment could reopen wounds. The tunnel, for him, is more than a geographic location — it stands as a symbol of trauma, loss, and public memory. In the world of royals, where symbolism and spectacle often carry weight, such gestures (or perceived ones) tend to resonate far beyond what meets the eye.
The incident raises broader questions: When memory, grief, and public figures collide, where should boundaries lie? For Meghan, visibly sharing moments in places tied to Diana is walking a fine line. For Harry, the presence of those moments may be unavoidable — but how they’re framed matters deeply. If the backlash teaches one thing, it’s that in contexts so loaded with personal and cultural meaning, even unintended actions can echo as intentional.
