In a world where the British royal family is synonymous with tradition, decorum, and carefully curated public appearances, a rare moment of levity has taken the internet by storm. On June 25, 2025, the official Instagram account of the royal family delivered a surprising and humorous comment in response to a video by British reality stars Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo, who cheekily recreated Meghan Markle’s now-infamous “Baby Mama” dance on the grand staircase of Buckingham Palace. The royal family’s reply—“We see you 👀😉”—complete with side-eye and winking emojis, sent shockwaves through social media, sparking laughter, debate, and renewed fascination with the monarchy’s modern evolution. This unexpected quip, tied to Meghan’s polarizing delivery room dance video from 2021, has not only highlighted the royal family’s newfound digital savvy but also reignited conversations about Meghan’s influence, the monarchy’s image, and the delicate dance between tradition and modernity.

The Viral Dance That Started It All

The saga began on June 4, 2025, when Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, marked her daughter Princess Lilibet’s fourth birthday with a series of Instagram posts. Among them was a never-before-seen video from 2021, showing Meghan and Prince Harry dancing in a hospital room at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, attempting to induce labor with Starrkeisha’s viral “Baby Mama Dance.” In the clip, a heavily pregnant Meghan, 43, shimmied and twerked in a black dress, while Harry, 40, joined in with playful moves, including a hooded shimmy across the room. “Both of our children were a week past their due dates… so when spicy food, all that walking, and acupuncture didn’t work—there was only one thing left to do! 😂,” Meghan captioned, embracing the lighthearted moment.

The video, which racked up 54 million views, was a sensation but deeply divisive. Fans praised its authenticity, with one X user calling it “joyful and deeply human.” Others, particularly in the UK, branded it “cringey,” “undignified,” and “unroyal,” with critics like Daily Mail’s Richard Eden arguing it lacked the “dignity and decorum” expected of royalty. Some even revived baseless conspiracy theories, claiming the dance proved Meghan faked her pregnancy, a notion debunked but amplified by trolls. Meghan defended the clip on the Aspire podcast, saying, “You have to be authentic… Did you see my ‘Baby Mama’ dance?” Her friend Christopher Bouzy slammed the backlash, calling it “sickening and cruel” and linking it to broader harassment Meghan has faced.

The royal family remained silent—until Laing and Habboo’s video changed the game.

The Buckingham Palace Dance: A Cheeky Parody

Jamie Laing, 36, and Sophie Habboo, 31, are British media personalities known for Made in Chelsea and their podcast NewlyWeds. Expecting their first child, the couple attended a King’s Trust reception at Buckingham Palace on June 25, 2025, hosted by King Charles. Defying the palace’s strict “no filming” rule, they recorded a video on the Grand Staircase, dancing to “The Baby Mama Dance” while showcasing Habboo’s baby bump. Laing’s caption, “They said we couldn’t film in Buckingham Palace…,” was a bold nod to their rule-breaking, and the choice of music unmistakably referenced Meghan’s viral clip.

The video, shared with Laing’s 1.6 million Instagram followers, was a playful parody, but its setting—Buckingham Palace’s gilded halls—added a layer of audacity. Some speculated it was a subtle jab at Meghan, whose video had been mocked as “classless” by palace insiders. Others saw it as a tribute, celebrating the dance’s cultural impact. Regardless, the clip went viral, amassing millions of views and drawing attention for its breach of protocol. The King’s Trust, Charles’ charity, commented tongue-in-cheek, “All of our attendees are very well behaved,” but it was the royal family’s response that stole the show.

“We see you 👀😉,” the official @theroyalfamily Instagram account wrote, a rare and cheeky reply that broke from the monarchy’s typically staid tone. X users erupted, with one calling it “British humour at its finest” and another declaring, “Royal Family, you win the internet today!” The comment, liked by thousands, was a masterstroke of modern engagement, showing the royals could laugh at themselves while subtly acknowledging the Meghan controversy without taking sides.

A Royal Family Embracing the Digital Age

The royal family’s response is a landmark moment in their digital evolution. Historically, the monarchy’s social media presence has been formal, sharing polished photos of engagements or ceremonial events. But under King Charles, 76, and with Prince William and Kate Middleton steering modernization, the @theroyalfamily account has begun experimenting with a more relatable tone. Recent posts, like a behind-the-scenes video of Trooping the Colour or William’s birthday tribute to Charles, have hinted at this shift. The “Baby Mama” comment, however, was a bold leap, signaling a willingness to engage with pop culture and humor.

Royal historian Dr. Emma Clarke told The Guardian, “This is the monarchy meeting the 21st century. The emojis and wit show they’re aware of the cultural conversation around Meghan’s video and are choosing to respond with levity, not censure.” The reply also defused potential criticism of Laing and Habboo’s protocol breach, turning a faux pas into a moment of charm. Habboo’s later post, showing her laughing with Charles at the event, suggested the King himself was unfazed, even amused.

Yet, the response wasn’t without risk. Some X users, like @knowknewz, accused the royals of “joining in the mockery” of Meghan, interpreting the comment as “shady.” Palace sources, per The Royal Observer, claimed senior royals, including Charles and Camilla, were “aghast” at Meghan’s original video, believing it showed the Sussexes had “lost it.” The Instagram reply, then, could be read as a subtle dig, aligning with the palace’s reported disapproval. But its playful tone ensured plausible deniability, keeping the monarchy above the fray.

Meghan’s Shadow: A Polarizing Presence

The incident underscores Meghan’s enduring impact on the royal narrative. Since stepping back as senior royals in 2020, Meghan and Harry have carved a new path in California, launching their As Ever brand and sharing curated glimpses of their life. The “Baby Mama” video, with 40.7 million views by June 8, dwarfed their previous record (27.7 million for As Ever’s announcement), proving Meghan’s knack for capturing attention. A source told the Daily Mail that Meghan was “pleased” with the response, believing it resonated with Americans and younger audiences, boosting her brand’s appeal.

Critics, however, saw the video as a misstep. Daily Mail columnist Maureen Callahan called it “classless,” while royal expert Jennie Bond suggested Charles would be “horrified,” arguing royalty demands “dignity.” The backlash reignited tensions, with some accusing Meghan of exploiting her title for clicks, a charge echoed in debates about her As Ever rosé launch. Yet, supporters, including Newsweek’s Jack Royston, praised her authenticity, noting the video showed “a real, authentic, fun life” behind the scenes.

The royal family’s response to Laing and Habboo’s parody sidestepped these divides, focusing on humor rather than judgment. By engaging with the dance trend, they acknowledged Meghan’s cultural footprint without endorsing or condemning her. This neutrality was strategic, preserving the monarchy’s image while appealing to a younger, social media-savvy audience.

A Twist of Fate: The Iceland Connection

A lesser-known detail added intrigue to the story. In 2024, during a retreat in Iceland, Grant and Reeves—close friends of Meghan and Harry—lost a sketchbook near Seljalandsfoss waterfall, which Reeves recovered with a local’s help. The couple’s gratitude, gifting an art scholarship, mirrored the kindness Meghan and Harry showed in a similar incident during their 2025 Turks and Caicos trip, where they gifted a fisherman a boat after he found a lost locket. This parallel, uncovered by X users, fueled speculation that the Sussexes inspired the dance trend’s global reach, indirectly influencing Laing and Habboo’s video.

The Bigger Picture: Tradition Meets Modernity

The royal family’s cheeky comment is more than a viral moment—it’s a sign of a monarchy adapting to a digital world. By embracing humor, they’ve humanized their image, appealing to fans who crave relatability. The reply also diffused the Meghan controversy, redirecting focus from palace disapproval to playful engagement. As Marca noted, “Humor and lightness still have a place in the heart of the palace.”

For Meghan, the incident reinforces her polarizing yet undeniable influence. Her “Baby Mama” dance, love it or hate it, has reshaped royal discourse, forcing the monarchy to respond in ways unimaginable a decade ago. As the Sussexes plan their next As Ever launch and the royals prepare for Charles’ 2026 Australia tour, this moment will linger—a reminder that even in tradition-bound Buckingham Palace, a wink and a dance can change the conversation.