Prince Harry Accused Of 'Grinning' While Meghan Markle Allegedly 'Mocked' Queen In Docuseries

A TV host has criticized Prince Harry for his reaction to Meghan Markle's controversial comments and actions while recalling her first meeting with Queen Elizabeth II in the couple's new Netflix docuseries.

In the first volume of "Harry & Meghan," which premiered Thursday, the Duchess of Sussex described her first meeting with the late monarch and how she did not understand why she needed to curtsy to Prince Harry's grandmother.

Markle poked fun at her over-the-top attempt to show respect to Queen Elizabeth by performing an exaggerated curtsy. She then said, smiling, "Pleasure to meet you, your Majesty," as Prince Harry looked on with a small smile on his face.

The moment, which sparked backlash on social media following the docuseries' release, as well as Prince Harry's reaction were slammed by Australian opinion columnist and Sky News host Rita Panahi on Sky News Australia's "Outsiders."

"Never mind [Meghan] and that cringe performance," Panahi said. "But there she is, mocking his grandmother, mocking the entire institution she devoted her life to, and [Harry] just sits there and grins like an idiot."

The host claimed, "[Harry] looks uncomfortable. It didn't look like he was on board with that. But at the end of the day, he sat there and grinned like an idiot as she pretends that, 'Oh, I had no idea meeting the Queen was a big deal and I had to curtsy, Oh my God.' And I find the whole thing so utterly reprehensible."

But Vanity Fair's Erin Vanderhoof defended Markle's actions, writing that the duchess "is the butt of the joke here, not the Queen or even royal protocol."

In the first three episodes of "Harry & Meghan," Markle recalled that she and Prince Harry were in a car heading to lunch when he informed her that the Queen would be there and asked her, "You know how to curtsy right?" The former "Suits" star confessed that she initially thought it was a "joke."

"How do you explain that to people? How do you explain that you bow to your grandmother and that you would need to curtsy? Especially to an American. That's weird," Prince Harry said.

Markle shared that she then began to realize that "this is a big deal."

"I mean, Americans will understand this," she said, before adding in a theatrical voice, "We have Medieval Times, dinner and tournament."

"It was like that. I curtsied as though," she continued, performing an exaggerated bow from the couch where she sat.

The Duchess of Sussex shared that the meeting was "so intense" but that Princess Eugenie, her husband Jack Brooksbank and her mother Sarah Ferguson insisted she "did great" after the Queen left.

Markle admitted that she now realizes she "didn't know what I was doing."

The first volume of "Harry & Meghan" is now streaming on Netflix. The remaining three episodes will be released Thursday.