In the world of media speculation and celebrity gossip, it’s not uncommon to hear stories going around about famous faces participating in acts of rebellion or protest. Remember how rumors spread that Irish actor Cillian Murphy had joined in a silent protest against the British monarchy during a meeting with Prince Harry?
Well, a number of media outlets subsequently found out that the viral clip had been doctored, and that the conversation in question did not occur during the actor’s time with the Duke of Sussex.
That reminds us of Irish rugby legend Ronan O’Gara, who appeared with his hands in his pockets when he met Queen Elizabeth II in 2009. However, he later cleared the air and refuted the story, stating that he has no “strong feelings” about the monarchy but would like to believe that “my parents” raised him well.
Inside Story: Ronan O’Gara’s Pocket Mystery at The Queen’s Meeting
While meeting Queen Elizabeth II after Ireland’s 2009 Grand Slam victory, Ronan O’Gara was seen in one of the most notorious pictures of himself, with his hands tucked into his pockets.
Following their victory in that competition, O’Gara, Brian O’Driscoll, members of the Irish rugby team, received an invitation to a public reception where they had the opportunity to meet the late monarch. It was claimed that O’Gara, 47, had insulted the Queen Elizabeth II after a photo of them went viral.
The great Frank Miller, @IrishTimes picture ed, retired today – one of his unforgettable photographs – Ronan O'Gara hands in his pockets meeting the Queen while Jamie Heaslip gives him the filthies pic.twitter.com/lUdoXrVw6e
— Bernice Harrison (@BerniceHarrison) April 20, 2018
O’Gara eventually came clean in a 2017 interview, as The Mirror reported, explaining what actually happened on that day:
“The picture appeared in the Irish Times where everyone was convinced that I refused to shake her hand. It’s a completely opportunistic photo. I don’t have any strong beliefs on the monarchy, (but) I’d like to think my parents reared me well.”
The alleged silent protest, in which people put their hands in their pockets as a symbol of resistance to the Royal Family, went viral on social media and in tabloids. However, the rugby legend clarified that putting his hands in pockets was simply because
“My hands were sweaty. I had my hands in (my pockets). I was cleaning my hands from sweat to make sure there wasn’t a layer of sweat before I shook her hand.”
So, if you ever have the rare opportunity to meet a Royal member, remember to keep your hands out of your pockets.
Fact Check: Debunking the Viral Clip of Prince Harry and Cillian Murphy
Not just Ronan O’Gara, however, was caught in an allegedly deceitful manner with a member of the Royal Family. A video of Cillian Murphy shaking hands with Prince Harry at the 2017 Dunkirk film premiere in London also went viral.
According to shared subtitles and the audio of the brief film, the Prince and the Irish actor appear to be having the following conversation:
Prince Harry: “So, you’re British?”.
Murphy: “No, I’m Irish”.
Prince Harry: “Ah yeah I know, British”.
Murphy: “No, no, no. I’m Irish. It’s a big difference.”
The video clip appears to be authentic; however, the audio appears to be taken from a different 2010 interview that Murphy did with an Israeli journalist. You can find the edited video here. Also, note that The Press Association’s YouTube channel has the original video.
The noise level during the meeting was so high that it was impossible to hear what the two were saying to each other. Fact-checkers have refuted the video, which shows Prince Harry posing with the Dunkirk cast in front of a poster promoting the film.
The Journal claimed that the audio in the viral video came from a 2010 interview that Murphy and Tom Hardy did for the movie Inception. Murphy was asked in the video if he was British by the interviewer.
Although Murphy has remained silent about the matter, it is obvious that the rumors that surrounded his behavior were untrue. And, in the case of Murphy or O’Gara, it appears that the alleged ‘silent protest’ against the Royal Family was simply a misunderstanding.
Let us put the drama and speculation aside and concentrate on what really matters!
