The 2024 People’s Choice Awards in Nashville, Tennessee, meant to be a night of celebration, turned into a devastating event for Meghan Markle. Invited to present the award for Best Country Collaboration at the Bridgestone Arena, Meghan was met with unexpected hostility from the predominantly country music audience. What should have been a simple moment escalated into a highly publicized and deeply humiliating experience.

As Meghan walked onto the stage, she was greeted with boos and jeers, with some members of the audience shouting “Go home, Meghan” and “You don’t belong here.” Despite this hostile reception, she attempted to continue with her task, nervously offering a smile and trying to proceed with her speech. However, the audience’s antagonism only intensified.

Backstage, other presenters watched in disbelief as the situation spiraled out of control. One witness described the atmosphere as “nasty,” with some audience members standing on their seats, shouting over Meghan’s attempts to announce the award winner. Tensions peaked when a beer can was thrown from the crowd, narrowly missing her and exploding on the stage, prompting cheers from the audience.

Visibly shaken, Meghan continued to struggle through her speech cards, muttering apologies to the production crew. As the hostile atmosphere worsened, she attempted to leave the stage, but before she could make her escape, another object, possibly a hot dog or chicken tender, struck her in the back, leading her to break into a run.

Once backstage, Meghan reportedly burst into tears, asking repeatedly, “Why do they hate me so much?” Her distress only worsened as the crowd’s mocking laughter and boos echoed from the auditorium. Attempts to comfort her did little to ease her breakdown.

The public backlash extended beyond the event, as the hashtag #Meghan quickly began trending on Twitter. The situation sparked over 12 million tweets, with much of the public expressing little sympathy. Royal experts like Kinsey Schofield noted that Meghan’s attempts to bridge her royal image with Hollywood had clearly misjudged the values of a more down-to-earth country audience. Many felt that she had overstepped, inserting herself into an industry where she wasn’t welcomed.

In the aftermath of the event, sources close to Meghan revealed that she is profoundly shaken, struggling with the realization that she has lost the public relations battle in both the U.S. and globally. Now facing international ridicule, her future in the spotlight remains uncertain, leaving many to wonder if she can recover from this career-crushing moment.