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In 2014, before Meghan Markle became a member of the British royal family, she had a memorable encounter with professional golfer Rory McIlroy. The specifics remain somewhat of a mystery, but during the viral ALS Ice Bucket Challenge that year, McIlroy nominated Meghan, who was then starring in “Suits.” She accepted the challenge on the condition that McIlroy himself would pour the ice water over her. He agreed, and after the chilly event, the two headed to the Fitzpatrick Hotel for drinks.
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What transpired afterward is left to speculation, but it evidently didn’t develop into anything significant. Shortly after, McIlroy began dating Erica Stoll, who would become his wife, while Meghan would have her first encounter with Prince Harry a couple of years later. However, the past tends to follow celebrities, and in March 2026, photos of Meghan and McIlroy’s 2014 meeting re-emerged, sparking a wave of criticism toward Meghan. An X user commented, “Rory McIlroy dodged a massive bullet when he threw Meghan to the curb. She was clearly on the hunt, but Rory didn’t take the bait,” alongside three photos, two of which showed McIlroy with Markle.
One photo captured them enjoying drinks at a table, while the other depicted them standing together before the challenge, with a cooler visible in the background. A commentator added some shade, saying, “I can only imagine what an unhinged circus Masters would turn into if MM managed to trap McIlroy,” in a reply. Meghan isn’t universally adored among royals, so the reaction wasn’t entirely surprising.
Despite the divergent paths their lives took, the ice bucket challenge encounter between Meghan Markle and Rory McIlroy has faded into a minor footnote of history. Meghan married into royalty, while McIlroy continued his rise in the golfing world. At the time, Meghan wasn’t a major celebrity, but McIlroy had just claimed his first Open Championship title. She reportedly seized the opportunity to mingle with the sports star.
This narrative is supported by author Tom Bower in his 2022 book, “Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War Between the Windsors” (via Page Six). Bower suggested that Meghan was eager to use their connection to boost her profile. He also alleged that McIlroy’s performance suffered the next day, claiming, “Worse for wear after a hectic night, he fell back to 101st place.”
— Harry, Meghan’s Spare (@ViQueenie) April 13, 2026
In one, the two were seated at a table enjoying some drinks. The other showed the two next to each other before the infamous challenge, evidenced by the cooler in the background. “I can only imagine what a unhinged circus Masters would turn into if MM managed to trap McIlroy,” a netizen shadily replied. Meghan isn’t exactly the most popular royal, so we aren’t shocked here.
Meghan Markle has been accused of using Rory McIlroy to promote herself
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Given the vastly different paths their lives took, Meghan Markle and Rory McIlroy’s ice bucket challenge encounter has largely been relegated to an insignificant past. After all, she married a prince, and he became a sensation in the golfing world. However, Meghan was far from a major star when she rubbed shoulders with McIlroy, who had just won his first Open Championship. She reportedly saw an opportunity there and jumped at the chance.
At least that’s what author Tom Bower claimed in his 2022 book, “Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War Between the Windsors” (via Page Six). “[She was] keen to use their close relationship to promote herself,” he wrote. Bower also contended that McIlroy’s night with Markle negatively impacted his performance on the golf course the next day. “Worse for wear after a hectic night, he fell back to 101st place,” Bower writes.
After the poor performance, McIlroy reportedly drove back to New York to see Meghan. “He refused to sleep as usual near the golf course to be ready the following day,” Bower claimed. However, Meghan played down what happened between her and McIlroy, telling Focus in 2018 that she actually initially rejected his nomination. “Rory McIlroy and I are friends, and when he nominated me I told him I couldn’t do the challenge because I was traveling and in NY,” she said. But he retorted that he was also in New York and made it happen. “We had a blast,” she gushed.