Meghan Markle praised for shutting car door, but Kate did it first

Meghan Markle closing a car door by herself has become such a big news to her fans, with social media lauding the Duchess of Sussex for her “down to earth” act. But according to Internet sleuths and Kate Middleton fans, Prince Harry’s wife was not the first royal to do the mundane task without assistance.

On Tuesday, the Duchess arrived at the Royal Academy of Arts to attend her first solo event since her wedding to Harry in May. What caught the eyes of royal watchers was when she stepped out of a car and shut the door herself and without waiting for an aide.

The simple, everyday gesture was not lost on her fans, who praised Meghan for being so modest that she did not mind doing an ordinary task that was supposed to have been done for her. They claimed she was the first royal to shut a car door by herself.

It wasn’t the first time Meghan, as a royal, has been seen shutting her car door as well. Last week, she arrived with Harry and her mother, Doria Ragland, at a Muslim cultural centre in North Kensington to launch her “Together” cookbook. She was also filmed closing her door herself.

But contrary to what some have been claiming, Meghan wasn’t the first royal to shut her own car door. The Duchess of Cambridge has been doing that for years without much fanfare.

Royal commentator Victoria Murphy has retweeted videos of Kate arriving at venues and shutting her car door herself.

One Twitter user even pointed out that Kate could do it while holding Princess Charlotte in one hand.

While there are usually staff members to open and close a car door for royal families, there are also no rules that claim the royals can’t do it themselves. Royal commentator Victoria Arbiter said that Meghan, contrary to what others said, had not broken protocol by shutting her car door.