Meghan Markle's Public Hug With A Fan Has A Much Deeper Meaning Than Anyone Expected

Though Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, has seemingly fallen out of favor with the U.K. public, she and her husband, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, were greeted with a surprising reaction from crowds on Saturday. The duo joined the newly appointed Prince of Wales, Prince William, and Princess of Wales, Catherine Middleton, outside of Windsor Castle. The famous foursome walked around the outskirts of the castle to read heartfelt messages left for the late Queen Elizabeth II following her heartbreaking death on September 8. They spoke with royal fans who were lined up behind barricades and stopped to receive gifts, flowers, and other mementos from the onlookers.

For Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, the interactions outside of Windsor Castle were particularly moving when she publicly hugged a fan. According to a report from CNN, the teenager apparently extended the warm welcome to Meghan for one specific reason. In a clip reposted by Philip Lewis on Twitter, the 14-year-old said that she "looked up to her in some ways," and she wanted to hug Meghan so the duchess knew she was "welcome here" in the United Kingdom.

Given the backlash the California native has received since stepping down as a senior working royal, the gesture of kindness was met with equally sweet sentiments on the social media app. As one user stated, "​​That hug was the first time I've teared up throughout this whole thing. Meghan hugged her so tight you could tell that kindness meant so much to her."