In a candid moment during the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's humanitarian visit to Jordan, a young girl at the Za'atari Refugee Camp was asked if she knew Meghan, only to promptly walk away from the Duchess. The incident occurred on the first day of Harry and Meghan's quasi-royal tour, organized at the invitation of the World Health Organization, as they engaged with Syrian refugees and learned about regional aid efforts.
Unfolding Exchange at Youth Centre
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were touring a youth centre at the sprawling Za'atari Refugee Camp, home to tens of thousands of displaced Syrians, when the brief exchange took place in front of staff and youngsters. Meghan had crouched down to speak to the child through an interpreter after joining a group of girls at an outdoor football class. She inquired about the girl's age and was told she was seven years old.
However, when a member of staff from the social development organisation Questscope turned to the child and asked, 'You know Meghan?', the girl simply walked off without responding. Smiling, the Duchess responded warmly, saying, 'So sweet, so confident - that's what you're instilling.' This moment highlighted the informal and sometimes unpredictable nature of such humanitarian visits.
Context of the Sussexes' Jordan Trip
Harry and Meghan's two-day visit to Jordan comes just a fortnight after Prince William's diplomatic trip to Saudi Arabia, underscoring the Sussexes' continued forays onto the international stage despite stepping down as working royals in 2020 for personal and financial freedom. The couple were warmly greeted in Amman by WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who hugged and kissed Meghan upon her arrival in a white jacket and matching trousers, and also embraced Harry.
Notably, Prince William and Kate, the Prince and Princess of Wales, have long-standing ties to Jordan. Kate spent part of her childhood living in Amman in the mid-1980s, and the Wales family returned for a private holiday in 2021. William also conducted an official visit to Jordan in 2018, where he watched a football match with Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II, who married Rajwa Alseif in 2023 with William and Kate as surprise guests.
Meghan's Spirited Engagement
Back at Za'atari, Meghan appeared determined not to let the snub dampen her spirits. After chatting to youngsters through an interpreter, she eagerly joined in football drills before lining up for a penalty. The Duchess threw her hands in the air triumphantly when her right-footed strike beat a girl in goal, while Harry's effort was saved, leaving Meghan with bragging rights.
The couple also toured classrooms at the Questscope centre, watching teenage girls play traditional Arabic instruments while others performed with violins and guitars. During one exchange, 15-year-old refugee Siham impressed the Sussexes by replying in perfect English when Harry asked if the violinists had made friends through lessons. She said, 'Yes we're friends,' and revealed she was a black belt in taekwondo.
Broader Humanitarian Efforts
Jordan has absorbed successive waves of refugees over decades, from Palestinians who now number around 2.5 million to Syrians fleeing civil war, and more recently those displaced amid the Gaza conflict. The Sussexes later attended a roundtable in Amman with representatives from UN agencies including UNRWA, UNHCR, the World Food Programme, and UNICEF, alongside diplomats and donors.
Philip Hall, the British Ambassador to Jordan, thanked the couple for travelling to the region, stating, 'So I would simply say thank you very much indeed for coming. Your visit, your support, your appreciation of the efforts that the United Nations, including of course, the World Health Organisation, the government of Jordan and others, are making here is enormously appreciated. So thank you for coming.' This underscores the diplomatic and humanitarian significance of their tour.
