Meghan Markle shows off her touchy-feely side as she breaks royal convention offer hugs to Invictus Games attendees

The Duchess of Sussex once confessed she has ‘always been a hugger’ – and today proved no different for the very affectionate Meghan Markle.

The Duchess of Sussex, 42, proved her love of a hug by embracing attendees while enjoying the games in Dusseldorf, Germany.

The mother-of-two has been all smiles since she arrived at the competition, which hosts an array of sports including, swimming, wheelchair rugby, indoor rowing, sitting volleyball and wheelchair basketball.

But, for some, Meghan has stolen the show, and they’ve cast their eyes away from the centre stage to have a one-on-one with the former actress.

She previously confessed she adores hugs, telling her bombshell Netflix series: ‘Even when Will and Kate came over and I was meeting her for the first time I remember I was in ripped jeans, I was barefoot. Like I was a hugger, I have always been a hugger I didn’t realise that is really jarring for a lot of Brits.’ 

Meghan has long broken royal convention regarding hugging as a greeting – and instead has often thrown her arms around members of the public, regardless if she knows them.

Meghan first broke with royal protocol to embrace a woman in a touching embrace when she visited the homeless centre with Prince Harry during her first royal engagement. 

And since then, the former actress has bestowed plenty of warm hugs to those she met, despite it contradicting royal protocol. 

Just like the rest of the crowd, Meghan has been enjoying the games from the stands, giving her the perfect opportunity to meet with members of the public.

For many attendees, the chance to meet with the Duchess served as an emotional experience.

Feelings of excitement, joy, and compassion showed across the faces of those who got the chance to meet with Meghan.

The former actress appeared equally as pleased to meet with members of the public.

Meghan greeted many with open arms- much different to the typical greeting in these situations.

In one photograph, a group of friends are taking turns to have a friendly hug with the Duchess.

Other people took the opportunity to pose for a selfie with Meghan.

In another image, Meghan appears to be having a heartfelt conversation with a woman.

Meghan has also proved she is queen of the quick change today as she displayed two different outfits within hours of arriving for the sixth day of the event.

The couple were all smiles as they arrived at the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Dusseldorf this afternoon, where the sitting volleyball and table tennis is being held.

The Sussexes arrived hand-in-hand ready to watch the action play out between Ukraine and Nigeria. Meghan opted for a bronze silk shirt and caramel trousers and her husband wore a smart navy suit and crisp white shirt. 

They smiled and waved as they smiled and waved with NATO bosses and their families. Harry also also took part in a mental health discussion organised by Better Up, the Silicon Valley start-up where he is chief impact officer. 

They were then embraced by crowds as they arrived to watch wheelchair volleyball matches – with Meghan swapping her outfit for an all-white ensemble. The Duchess donned a smart white Ralph Lauren sweater vest with a pair of matching jeans for the occasion.  

But earlier today, Meghan showed her more formal side as she attended a private meeting with NATO chiefs and their families.

After sporting styled shorts and a J crew cardigan to watch a wheelchair rugby event she was dressed in a more demure style for the meet and greet.

Meghan wore loose fitting wide leg caramel coloured trousers and a silky brown shirt. Harry wore a blue suit but no tie.

The NATO event came after Harry carried out a private engagement in the morning while Meghan relaxed in their suite at the Hyatt Hotel.

He took part in a discussion organised by the Better Up, the career and life coaching start up where he is Chief Impact Officer on a reported seven-figure salary.

Last night the couple put on an extraordinary red carpet-style display of flirting and affection at the Invictus Games in their first official public engagements together since May.

The Duchess of Sussex looked thrilled last night as her husband spoke coquettishly in her ear, clutched her hand and held her close at the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Dusseldorf, Germany.

Body language expert Judi James told MailOnline today that the tactile royals were reasserting themselves as a global ‘celebrity power couple’.

Their public displays of affection, hours after it emerged Meghan has taken off her engagement ring because a setting came loose, came after friends of the couple had torn apart speculation about their future in Hollywood and rumoured strains behind the scenes. 

Ms James said: ‘Meghan and Harry’s body language really does seem to signal that the Harry and Meghan roadshow is back in the room.

‘It’s been a while since the fans have been treated to some of their signature rituals of togetherness as a couple and as a professional double act but they appear here taking the applause like celebrities with Harry back in his proud, protective tow-along pose, hand-in-hand with a very excited looking Meghan.

‘Their hand clasp is mutual, with Harry’s hand on top in a gesture of dominance and Meghan’s fingers are curled upward to show reciprocal affection as Harry leans to talk to her.’

Harry had travelled to Dusseldorf alone after a stopover in London. He and his wife have carried out a large number of solo events separately this summer.

Their last public engagement was in New York in May when Meghan was given a Women of Vision Award. Doria Ragland also attended.

In early August Harry embarked on a boys-only Asian tour with best friend Nacho Figueras while his wife partied with friends watching Taylor Swift in LA and stayed at home to care for Archie and Lilibet.

But last night Meghan cosied up to one another in the crowd at the culmination of the wheelchair basketball where both looked delighted when the USA won. Before the final with France ended, Harry wrapped his arm around his wife as they watched the nail-biting action on court. Meghan had comforted him as he covered his eyes during a particularly stressful sporting moment.

The couple were all smiles and appeared to whisper more sweet nothings to one another before Meghan led the way at the medals ceremony, hugging athletes and their families on the courtside.

It was a world away from their previous appearance in public together almost a fortnight ago when Harry appeared bored and was looking at his phone as his wife danced with her mother Doria and friends at a Beyonce concert in California.

Harry looked far happier 48 hours later when he went to see Messi’s Inter Miami play LAFC with many other celebs. And the following day Meghan was back watching Beyonce again with stars including Kelly Rowlands amid rumours her big Hollywood relaunch – including reviving her Tig lifestyle brand to rival Gwyneth Paltrow’s $250million Goop.

It came amid rumours Meghan is enforcing a brand separation from her husband after his best-selling book Spare, containing many brutal attacks on his family, damaged their popularity in the US and UK.

But Prince Harry’s deep rift with his family is casting a shadow over the Invictus Games with the absence of his brother Prince William particularly keenly felt, veterans ‘caught up in the royal crossfire’ have claimed.

Harry’s time in Afghanistan inspired him to launch the sporting event but the Prince and Princess of Wales were central to its initial success. 

The couple’s now-defunct foundation formed with the Duke of Sussex hoovered up sponsors and spent huge sums of cash to get Invictus up and running.

Nine years ago Harry, his father and brother stood united as they attended the opening ceremony and multiple events at the first ever Invictus Games in London – but the new King and his heir have had zero involvement since Harry met Meghan and they all fell out.

Officials have said that despite Harry’s passion for Invictus, which is growing in size, there have been plenty of seats at the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Dusseldorf. Some believe that the involvement of Charles, William and Kate would change that.

The Prince and Princess of Wales have both been at the rugby World Cup in France in the past week while King Charles and Queen Camilla and other senior royals have been at the Highland Games. 

One Team GB insider told The Telegraph: ‘The athletes find it bizarre but don’t want to get caught up in the royal crossfire.’  

This year’s games in Germany are the biggest ever involving 22 nations and 500-plus athletes. Harry has been there from start to finish, joining in with clapping and dancing in the crowd, and joking about going out on the beers at the end of the day.

Many have enjoyed seeing the Harry of old, high fiving children and singing Sweet Caroline in the days before his wife Meghan arrived. 

But there has been no word from his family in the UK. 

Double amputee Ben McBean, who was on the same return flight from Afghanistan as Harry in 2008 and credited with inspiring the Duke to launch Invictus,  said he understood both sides of the ‘rift’ between the brothers but added that they should have put their differences aside.

He told The Telegraph: ‘Saying that, they should have just given the lads a shout out. It’s like when we went to Afghanistan, no one supported the war, but they supported the troops. It’s the same thing’.

Palace sources reportedly say that members of the Royal family never involve themselves in each others’ professional endeavours, and they would not expect the Duke to voice support for the finalists of William’s Earthshot Prize, for example.

One critic of Harry said: ‘Harry has never supported any of latest William‘s projects, not Earthshot when he is president of African Parks and advocate for climate change, no word about Homewards either but they insist William must supportInvictus. I’m so tired of this nonsense’.

Earlier this month King Charles attended the Highland Games – an event which was a firm favourite of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II – with the Duchess of Cornwall.  

They were joined by Anne, Princess Royal, and her husband Sir Timothy Laurence at the games which have been a part of Scotland’s culture for hundreds of years.

Critics argue the royal family’s ‘ill-will’ towards Harry should not be held against the disabled veterans who are competing.

The Prince and Princess of Wales were integral in the early stages of the Invictus Games.

The Royal Foundation, which was shared by Prince Harry at the time – invested significant amounts of money in the event. 

Meanwhile Harry’s brother Prince William continued with his charity work yesterday in London, visiting a building site to discuss the mental health of construction workers.

His sister-in-law Kate has also been carrying out royal visits this week, going to HMP High Down in Surrey on Tuesday to learn more about the work of an addiction charity.

King Charles III visited Tomintoul in the Cairngorms where he was welcomed by primary school children and community stalwarts. 

An anonymous UK media strategist said: ‘It’s ironic Buckingham Palace has had more to say about the Highland Games than the Invictus Games, despite the honorary military roles they hold.

‘In doing so, the palace ends up looking mean-spirited and petty. The ill will against Harry should not be held against the Invictus competitors.’ 

The Invictus Games is one of the big projects that Prince Harry has continued since his departure from the royal family. 

He was given a hero’s welcome in Germany by those attending the latest iteration of the competition he founded for wounded and disabled military veterans.

Harry arrived at the event trailed by dozens of excited schoolchildren who had been given time off from studies to attend. 

He has said he plans to attend as many events as he can during the week-long competition. 

On Tuesday, Meghan Markle joined the Duke at the games held at the Merkur Spiel-Arena, where the pair were seen smiling and rejoicing as they watched numerous sporting events. 

The Duchess was seen sporting a stars and stripes badge as she cheered her home country on during the wheelchair basketball game between USA and France yesterday.