Strange Things About Meghan Markle's Friendship With Nacho Figueras

Rumor has it that in the early days of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's relationship, the royal's inner circle wasn't exactly thrilled. Supposedly, Markle wasn't keen on their boyish antics, leaving many of Harry's friends skeptical about their future. One notable exception? Polo star Nacho Figueras. Dubbed the "David Beckham of polo," Figueras has been one of Harry's staunchest supporters, vocalizing his approval of their romance from the start. But his relationship with Markle is murkier — are they genuine friends, or is he merely maintaining appearances?

Figueras and Harry go way back — 2007, to be exact — around the time Harry co-founded the charity Sentebale and the athlete signed on as an ambassador. Their bromance has been going strong ever since. Figueras gushed to Hello! about their bond, saying, "We stay in touch a lot, which is amazing to be able to, you know, have a friendship that feels like although sometimes we're not together-together, we are always together. At least in my case, [I] feel and think about him a lot. So, it's always a good thing to be able to share that with someone." He also swooned over Harry's love for Markle in the "Harry & Meghan" Netflix series, recalling how Harry told their circle about her for the first time. "He looked at us and said, 'Guys, I met a girl, we've just met but I think this might be the one. You could tell right away that those eyes were those of someone who'd fallen in love,'" he said.

Now, while Figueras' loyalty to Harry is undeniable, his relationship with Markle has raised eyebrows. There have been speculations of subtle snubs and awkward moments that made fans wonder if Figueras is as pro-Meghan as he claims.

Nacho Figueras might look like Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's biggest fan on paper, but his actions sometimes paint a different picture — literally. Case in point: The Royal Salute Polo Challenge in April 2024. While group photos of the couple with Figueras made the rounds online, he chose to post only pictures sans Markle on his Instagram. Shady much? Naturally, eagle-eyed fans caught on and accused him of throwing shade by deliberately snubbing her.

"Nacho posted two pics of the awards ceremony. Who's missing?" one fan pointed out on X, formerly Twitter. Theories spiraled from there, with some suggesting it was a calculated PR move. Given Markle's reputation as the most hated celebrity on the internet, it may not be too far-fetched to think Figueras wanted to keep things drama-free. "He doesn't mess around with optics," another fan said. "He focuses on the people that matter in making Sentebale a success. He is also a family man and knows how to quiet the rumor mill about the handsy claws. His wife is a beauty & Sharkles has ZERO chance."

Others took things further, speculating that Figueras might not even like Markle at all, merely playing nice to keep his bromance with Harry intact. "I always had the impression that Nacho was not overly fond of Maude. He gets what she is all about. He knew H before M and he is not blind. The way she was fawning over Nacho and his family was an act for the camera," another tweeted. Of course, the truth remains elusive, but actions —or, in this case, omissions — can be telling. If a picture says a thousand words, what does leaving someone out entirely say?

Eventually, Meghan Markle finally made her way onto Nacho Figueras' socials — but, of course, even that came with drama. Months after the supposed snub, Figueras posted an Instagram Story featuring Markle's lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard. He showed off their latest products: a new strawberry jam flavor — and, oddly enough, some dog biscuits. While that seemed like he was just supporting her brand, the post conveniently dropped during Kate Middleton's grand Trooping the Colour appearance. Coincidence? Fans didn't think so, especially since there were rumors that Markle was envious of her sister-in-law's royal return.

Critics were quick to jump on the timing, speculating that Markle was trying to overshadow Middleton's moment. Some even went on to accuse Figueras of being Markle's accomplice. "My opinion, H was visiting him and had the strict instruction from his wife to make Nacho post," one user on Reddit wrote. "I don't believe in coincidences. Especially when Meghan and her insane jealousy of Catherine, are involved. This was 100% deliberately done," said another.

To his credit, Figueras genuinely seems to be a big fan of Markle's jams. In the same month that he purportedly snubbed her, he posted a photo series on Instagram praising her inaugural raspberry jam, complete with a shot of him enjoying it. "Did I tell you I love your jam? @americanrivieraorchard," he gushed. If there's really beef between Figueras and Markle, at least it's not over fruit preserves.