Now, many would argue that a greeting like this is perfectly normal and customary, especially at an event among guests who may have been drinking. But what people are failing to understand is that the friar is a Franciscan friar, taking a vow of Chastity as a member of the clergy. Physical contact, especially something as intimate as kissing, goes strictly against his religious beliefs and code of conduct. So, you can imagine the friar's shock and discomfort in that moment.
According to those present, the friar's face immediately turned bright red with embarrassment. He took a step back and stammered, "Your Highness, please, I cannot." Meghan seemed confused by his reaction at first, but then realization slowly dawned on her face as she noticed his clerical collar and religious garb. She apologized profusely, though the damage had already been done. The friar nodded and quickly excused himself, hurrying away visibly upset by the unwanted advance.
In the days following, word of the interaction spread among the other friars at the friar's order. They were outraged over the disrespect shown to their brother, especially by a figure of such public prominence. So, the head friar decided to take action. He pinned a sternly worded letter to Meghan expressing their collective disappointment in her actions. While being respectful in tone, the letter clearly stated that physical intimacy goes against all Franciscan friars' vow of Chastity, and that she should have been more mindful and respectful given his religious role. It asked that she refrain from such behavior in the future when interacting with members of the clergy.
When news of this letter to Meghan broke, it sparked quite a controversy online. Supporters of the Duchess felt the friars were overreacting and that it was just an honest mistake on her part. However, others argued that as a public figure, especially one representing the royal family, Meghan should have shown more awareness and consideration.
Either way, you can imagine this wasn't the kind of publicity the Duke and Duchess were hoping for so shortly after their controversial exit from royal duties. So, a few days later, Meghan responded with a statement of her own, claiming the friars' portrayal of events was misleading. She said that while she meant no offense with her greeting, she rejected the notion that she did anything wrong or disrespectful. The statement went on to question if there was an anti-American bias at play, suggesting the reaction may have been different if she were British. However, many saw this as Meghan trying to deflect blame and make herself out to be the victim rather than owning up to her part in the uncomfortable situation.
This prompted the friar himself to come forward with his side of the story in an interview. He recounted feeling surprised and overwhelmed by Meghan's sudden unwanted affection. He expressed that while her intentions may have been friendly, she failed to consider that physical contact goes against his sacred vows as a man of the cloth. He respectfully asked public figures like the Duchess to be more conscious of such boundaries, regardless of culture or nationality.
Overall, his message was one of promoting understanding between religious and secular circles. So, in summary, we have an incident where a well-meaning gesture was misinterpreted due to cultural differences and lack of awareness. The Franciscan friars felt their order and principles were disrespected, while Meghan believed she meant no offense. Both sides could perhaps have handled it better - the friars by addressing it privately first rather than in a public letter, and Meghan by owning up to her role rather than being defensive.
