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What Queen Elizabeth Really Thought of Meghan Markle, According to Insiders

Lucille Barilla — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 16:59:24 +0000

When Meghan Markle entered the royal family, it appeared to outsiders that senior royals went out of their way to make her feel welcome. Knowing that the ways of the House of Windsor were completely foreign to Meghan, many of its members reportedly tried to help her assimilate as quickly as possible. However, there were still some things about the American actor that just didn’t sit right with the royals, including Queen Elizabeth, who quickly developed her own opinion about Prince Harry’s bride.

Meghan Markle painted a rosy picture of her relationship with Queen Elizabeth

During Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s 2018 engagement interview, Meghan was complimentary toward Queen Elizabeth, painting a positively rosy outlook on their relationship.

“It’s incredible, I think, you know, to be able to meet her through his lens, not just with his honor and respect for her as the monarch, but the love that he has for her as his grandmother,” Meghan said (via BBC). “All of those layers have been so important to me that when I met her I had such a deep understanding and of course incredible respect for being able to have that time with her. She’s an incredible woman.”

In a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Meghan shared that she and the queen had forged a good relationship. “We had one of our first joint engagements together and had breakfast together that morning. She’d given me a beautiful gift, and I just really loved being in her company,” Meghan explained.

“We were in the car going between engagements, and she has a blanket that sits across her knees for warmth. And it was chilly, and she was like, ‘Meghan, come on’ and put it over my knees as well. It made me think of my grandmother, where she’s always been warm and inviting and really welcoming.”

Insiders reveal how Queen Elizabeth felt about Meghan Markle

Queen Elizabeth looks at Meghan Markle during her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018 | Jonathan Brady/AFP via Getty Images

It is unclear how Queen Elizabeth really felt about Meghan Markle. Outwardly, she seemed to want her grandson Prince Harry to be happy. But did she have reservations about his marriage from the beginning?

According to royal reporter Ingrid Seward’s book My Mother and I, the queen had several issues with Meghan, beginning with her wedding to Harry. Seward reports that Elizabeth didn’t like the fact that Meghan wore a white gown, and she wasn’t happy with the idea of her son, Charles, walking his daughter-in-law down the aisle.

Reportedly the queen also wasn’t happy with the couple’s decision to leave the royal family and found allegations they made during their interview with Oprah Winfrey alarming. Subsequently, the couple left a sour taste in the queen’s mouth when they called their daughter Lilibet. Elizabeth didn’t confirm that she gave Harry and Meghan permission to use her childhood nickname for their little girl.

The Spectator‘s Kara Kennedy reported in 2023 that Elizabeth reportedly “saw through” Meghan. She cited a source who claimed the monarch called Meghan “evil” at a 2022 Balmoral event.

“At the drinks before the dinner, a small group was talking to the monarch and she explained that Harry meeting Meghan had become a complete catastrophe and described her as evil. By this point, we all knew the Queen’s health was in decline and she had months left, she seemed regretful about how things had panned out.”

When did Meghan Markle and Queen Elizabeth see each other before the monarch’s death?

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry left the United Kingdom to live in the United States in early 2020. They left their duties as working senior royals behind.

It would be two years until Harry and Meghan returned to the U.K. to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee in June 2022. The couple joined other senior royals at a service of thanksgiving honoring Queen Elizabeth at St. Paul’s Cathedral. Harry and Meghan sat in the second row alongside Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice, and their husbands.

Three months later, Harry and Meghan returned to the U.K. to mourn Queen Elizabeth, who died on Sept. 8, 2022. They appeared alongside Prince William and Kate Middleton to tour to mourners outside of Windsor Castle.

Meghan Markle’s Netflix Series Debut Pushed Back: ‘The Timing Could Hardly Be Worse’

Lucille Barilla — Mon, 13 Jan 2025 14:57:01 +0000

Meghan Markle made waves when she announced a new Netflix lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan, in early January. Now, she’s making a decision that’s causing even more waves by postponing the series debut. Here are the heartbreaking details as Meghan’s “timing could hardly be worse” for an industry comeback.

Meghan Markle’s new Netflix series has a new release date

On Jan. 2, 2025, Meghan Markle returned to Instagram teasing her new Netflix series, With Love, Meghan. The series focuses on content connected to cooking, homemaking, and lifestyle tips.

However, on Jan. 12, Netflix’s press department released a statement regarding the show’s debut. It revealed that With Love, Meghan‘s release date was pushed back two months due to a request from Meghan.

“At the request of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and with the full support of Netflix, the release of the show — a heartfelt tribute to the beauty of Southern California — has been moved from its previously announced January premiere date to March 4, due to the ongoing devastation caused by the Los Angeles wildfires,” a Netflix statement read.

Meghan added her statement which said, “I’m thankful to my partners at Netflix for supporting me in delaying the launch, as we focus on the needs of those impacted by the wildfires in my home state of California.”

In a statement to The Daily Mail, royal author Phil Dampier shared his thoughts regarding Meghan delaying her series’ debut. “The timing of Meghan’s Netflix show could hardly be worse. Hundreds of people have lost their homes in the terrible fires.”

“The last thing anyone is interested in is a program about having friends round to eat canapés or arrange flowers when the city is going up in flames and people have lost everything,” he continued. “‘It’s not Meghan’s fault, of course, but I can’t see this show being a success in the current climate.”

Meghan Markle had ‘a lot riding’ on her Netflix series

Royal author and commentator Phil Dampier applauded Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for assisting those in their community who have lost their homes. He felt the couple “did the right thing” by allowing friends who lost everything to stay in their home.

Dampier believes pushing back the show’s debut depicts Meghan as not being tone-deaf about the tragedy around her. Displaying the beauty of Southern California when so many people have lost so much could be a double-edged sword in the future as the state begins the rebuilding process.

The royal expert says it would make more sense for Netflix not to debut the lifestyle series until the summer of 2025. Dampier shared that California’s devastation is so bad, it will take years to rebuild the affected communities.

“It’s not Meghan’s fault, of course, but I can’t see this show being a success in the current climate,” Dampier explained. “Some critics had already panned it and now it just looks totally out of place. She had a lot riding on it and had been planning for months, if not a couple of years, so it’s very unfortunate for her,” the royal expert concluded.

What does this postponement mean for Meghan Markle’s big industry comeback?

Meghan Markle on the set of her new Netflix lifestyle series, ‘With Love, Meghan’ | Netflix

Since March 2020, Meghan Markle has tried to carve out an identity separate from her role within the royal family. Although she was only a senior royal for two years, during that time, Meghan found herself at a loss as to her place within the firm.

During this period, Meghan faced intense media scrutiny and challenges adapting to the demands of royal life. This significantly influenced her and Prince Harry’s decision to step back from their royal roles.

Since moving to California, the couple partnered with Netflix via a contract worth a reported $100 million. They launched a Spotify podcast that lasted one season, and Harry wrote a scathing royal tell-all, Spare among some of their projects.

Meghan and Harry founded the Archewell Foundation in 2020, focusing on global humanitarian issues, including mental health, gender equality, and social change. However, Meghan never quite made a splash in the industry, despite being signed by William Morris Endeavor in April 2023.

This Netflix series was a way to allow Meghan to show a different side of her personality. By delaying its debut, she displays a human side that could further revamp her image in light of the horrific wildfire tragedy.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reside in Montecito, California. Their home was not impacted by the California wildfires as they live outside of the evacuation zone.

Video of Meghan Markle Laughing and Giggling After Liam Payne’s Performance Resurfaces

Michelle Kapusta — Sat, 11 Jan 2025 17:01:00 +0000

It seems like so long ago now that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were working royals and attending events with the rest of the duke’s family as was the case until the couple’s exit in 2020.

The Sussexes’ last royal engagement was a Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey. While that appearance got a lot of attention then and has been analyzed several times since, another Commonwealth Day appearance years prior went viral and has resurfaced following an inquiry into the death of former One Direction member Liam Payne.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex attended their first Commonwealth Day service together in 2018, two months before they were married. Now footage from that day is making the rounds again and stirring up all kinds of feelings as Meghan is seen laughing after Payne’s performance.

Clip of Meghan laughing at Prince Harry following Payne’s performance

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend a Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey | DANIEL LEAL/AFP via Getty Images

On March 13, 2018, the late singer was one of the performers at the Commonwealth Day service. He sang a rendition of John Mayer’s “Waiting on the World to Change.” Something that struck many people is the video that went viral after Payne’s performance showing Meghan look at Harry before laughing and putting her head down as she giggled.

One video posted on TikTok that has garnered thousands of views and hundreds of likes contains the caption: “Remember when Harry and Meghan laughed at Liam Payne’s performance?”

Several news publications also posted the video with the headlines: “Prince Harry leaves Meghan Markle in hysterics after Liam Payne performance” and “Watch Meghan Markle Giggle With Prince Harry After Liam Payne’s Commonwealth Day Performance.”

Royal watchers did not hold back with comments about Meghan and Harry’s behavior during the service writing: “They act inappropriately everywhere just add this moment to the list. They should have at least clapped,” “She’s a disgrace no respect for anything or anyone” and “Two bullies laughing this sickens me.”

Debate erupts over what the duchess was actually giggling at

However, not everyone is convinced that the duke and duchess were laughing at Payne’s performance.

As one person said: “They were smiling at something else not Payne’s performance. People always tend to exaggerate.”

Another added: “They never laughed at him. Jeeeezzzz isn’t there enough fake stories for people to hate [them] without making rubbish like this up!”

A third person pointed out: “I don’t think their look is connected to the performance as no one around them is applauding.” And a fourth agreed writing, “Think there’s been a bit of editing going on here since no one around them is clapping. I don’t think the bit of film is related to the performance.”

On Oct. 16, 2024, Payne was found dead outside a hotel he was staying at in Buenos Aires, Argentina, after falling from a third-floor balcony. He was 31. On Jan. 8, 2025, U.K. authorities determined his official cause of death to be “polytrauma,” a term that refers to multiple injuries to a person’s body and organ systems.

Meghan Markle’s Father Shares Surprising Words About Her Ex-Husband In New Interview

Julia Mullaney — Sat, 11 Jan 2025 13:23:00 +0000

Thomas Markle, Meghan Markle’s father, has never been shy about speaking on life with — and without — his daughter. However, speaking out is also what ruined his relationship with Meghan so many years ago. Thomas and Meghan were once close, but after it was learned he had staged paparazzi photos and leaked a personal letter from his daughter, she cut him off.

Now, Thomas is still out there talking about Meghan, and this time, he’s brought her ex-husband into his latest interview.

Meghan Markle | Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Thomas Markle reveals his true feelings toward Meghan Markle’s ex-husband

Prior to meeting Harry, Meghan was an actor who starred in the USA Network show Suits. She lived a much different life than she does now, having spent most of her time between California and Toronto. Meghan was married once before she wed Harry. Meghan had begun dating producer Trevor Engelson back in 2004, and the couple wed in Jamaica in 2011. However, after about two years, they officially separated, and their divorce was finalized in 2014 — two years before Meghan met Harry.

Little was known about Engelson up until Meghan and Harry started dating, but there have always been rumors that Meghan was the one who ended the marriage, with the reasons remaining unknown. And when Thomas Markle, 80, recently spoke to Daily Mail, he chose to bring Engelson’s name into the conversation.

“”I really liked Trevor,” Thomas told Daily Mail. “I don’t think he ever understood why she dumped him, either.” It’s unclear how well Thomas knew Engelson, or whether he was intentionally bringing his name up in conversation with the hope Harry would see it. Interestingly enough, Daily Mail reports that Thomas still has wedding videos of Meghan’s wedding to Engelson.

Meghan Markle doesn’t speak to her father, Thomas Markle

Meghan and Thomas reportedly haven’t had much contact in the years that followed Meghan’s high-profile royal wedding, where King Charles walked her down the aisle instead of her dad. Thomas has never met his grandchildren, and he has never been to Harry and Meghan’s home.

It’s unclear whether there was tension previously in Meghan’s relationship with her father that ultimately led to her cutting him off after the paparazzi incident. However, Meghan and Harry have remained close with Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, who lives near Harry and Meghan and spends plenty of time with the Sussex children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Thomas revealed that he plans to move to Southeast Asia, so it seems like he and Meghan might never rebuild their relationship.

Meghan Markle’s Secret Tribute to Princess Diana Spotted in New Netflix Trailer

Lucille Barilla — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 13:10:39 +0000

In early January, Meghan Markle dropped a teaser trailer for With Love, Meghan, an eight-episode Netflix lifestyle series. Among scenes of Meghan cooking, arranging flowers, and tending to bees, eagle-eyed royal watchers spotted a secret, touching tribute to Princess Diana.

Meghan Markle’s tribute to Princess Diana in new Netflix series

Meghan Markle’s tribute to her late mother-in-law Princess Diana wasn’t obvious. But eagle-eyed royal watchers picked up on it right away.

In the trailer for With Love, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex prepares food and shares lifestyle tips and tricks with celebrity friends Mindy Kaling and Abigail Spencer. An item belonging to Prince Harry’s late mother is visible among these interactions.

Meghan wears Princess Diana’s gold Cartier Tank Française watch throughout the trailer. It is unclear when Harry first gifted the family heirloom to Meghan, but she was first seen wearing it in early 2020. The same model currently retails for upwards of $22,000, though given its historical value, Diana’s watch is likely worth much more.

Diana’s timepiece is the second Cartier watch Meghan owns. She purchased her own yellow gold and steel watch from the brand, which cost more than $5,000, as an heirloom piece.

“I’ve always coveted the Cartier French Tank watch. When I found out Suits had been picked up for our third season — which, at the time, felt like such a milestone — I totally splurged and bought the two-tone version,” Markle told Hello! in 2015. “I had it engraved on the back, ‘To M.M. From M.M.’ and I plan to give it to my daughter one day. That’s what makes pieces special, the connection you have to them,” she said.

Inside Princess Diana’s watch collection

Princess Diana and Prince William in 1989 | Georges de Keerle/Getty Images

Princess Diana owned two Cartier watches. Diana favored both her Tank Louis Cartier watch with a black alligator strap and a yellow gold Tank Française.

Per Enigwatch, the late princess also owned a Patek Philippe Calatrava, gifted to her by then-Prince Charles for her 20th birthday. Queen Elizabeth gifted Diana a Vacheron Constantin timepiece for her wedding. The monarch originally received it as a wedding gift in 1947.

She also owned a Patek Philippe Calatrava Disco Volante that belonged to Prince Charles. At the end of her life, Diana was reportedly gifted a Panthère de Cartier by her boyfriend Dodi al Fayed.

Meghan Markle’s other jewelry pieces that belonged to Princess Diana

Prince Harry gifted Meghan Markle several pieces of Princess Diana’s jewelry throughout their marriage. Meghan has worn these heirloom items often.

The first item Harry gifted Meghan was included as part of her engagement ring. Its central stone was sourced from Botswana, and the other two diamonds were from Diana’s collection.

Meghan also owns Diana’s Aquamarine cocktail ring. She debuted the heirloom on her wedding day and later, wore the ring on a royal tour of Tonga in 2018.

A pair of butterfly earrings that belonged to the late Princess of Wales has been worn by Meghan on numerous occasions. She’s also worn Diana’s diamond tennis bracelet. Finally, Meghan owns Diana’s diamond cross necklace, and a gold bracelet flanked with two cabochon sapphires marking each broken end.

Meghan Markle’s Netflix series With Love, Meghan, debuts on Jan. 15, 2025.

The 1 Reason Meghan Markle’s New Netflix Show Is Doomed to ‘Fail,’ According to Commentator

Michelle Kapusta — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 02:00:00 +0000

Following the publication of this article, Netflix delayed Meghan’s show to March 4 due to the sensitivity of the wildfires in and around Los Angeles.

There’s been a ton of buzz around Meghan Markle‘s lifestyle show that is set to debut on Netflix. It’s the duchess’s first solo project for the streaming giant and already she has outperformed her husband Prince Harry’s previous project.

In December 2024, the Duke of Sussex’s docuseries POLO about the sport was released. The trailer that came out a few weeks prior on Nov. 21, garnered 197,000 views, 1,400 likes, and just over 3,800 comments. The show itself failed to reach Netflix’s top 10. Meanwhile, the trailer for With Love, Meghan, which was dropped on Jan. 2, has surpassed 1.2 million views already with 15,000 likes and more than 45,000 comments.

But will the success of the trailer for Meghan’s eight-part cooking and gardening series translate to lots of views? At least one commentator is predicting it won’t for a specific reason.

Here’s more on that, plus how members of the royal family are reacting to the duchess’s show.

Warning about why ‘With Love, Meghan’ will ‘fail’

It seems that just about everyone has an opinion about how Meghan’s new series will do. Commentator Kevin O’Sullivan believes that the show is doomed to “fail” because of what the duchess does not understand.

According to the show’s description, the “inspiring series, produced by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, reimagines the genre of lifestyle programming, blending practical how-to’s and candid conversation with friends, new and old. Meghan shares personal tips and tricks, embracing playfulness over perfection and highlights how easy it can be to create beauty, even in the unexpected. She and her guests roll up their sleeves in the kitchen, the garden, and beyond, and invite you to do the same.”

Speaking on the latest episode of the Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered podcast O’Sullivan said: “What she’s offering the public, you know, the new Meghan, this is the new invention is pathetic. [This is] a stupid show where she is baking cakes for her mates in California, wearing Cartier designer jewelry and flashy clothes.

“What she doesn’t understand is, in order to be successful in show business, in order to make successful programs and successful movies [is] you have to make them not boring. That’s the whole point of entertainment, don’t bore people … this is nonsense and it’s boring. It’s really, really boring [and] therefore it will fail.”

Palace source reveals the surprising reaction the royals have to the duchess’s show

Meghan Markle on the set of her new Netflix lifestyle series ‘With Love, Meghan’ | Netflix

Daily Mail columnist Richard Eden was told that the rest of the royals are not dreading Meghan’s show at all and actually hope it will be a success.

“Everyone wants it to be a success. And that’s because, if it is, she and Harry won’t need to exploit their royal connections again,” Eden wrote. “The last thing anyone wants is another Spare, this time from Meghan.”

With Love, Meghan will mark the fifth program attached to the Sussexes’ for Netflix. Live to Lead, Heart of Invictus, and POLO have all flopped. Only Harry & Meghan, which chronicled the couple’s lives as royals and their exit, was a hit for the streaming platform.

Meghan Markle Grieves the Loss of a Beloved Family Member

Julia Mullaney — Wed, 08 Jan 2025 17:23:44 +0000

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been living in California for years, and while Meghan shot to fame after she and Harry started dating, she very much had her own life before she met him. The Duchess of Sussex was an actor, split her time between Toronto and California, and had built a successful vision for herself through the years — including adopting a sweet beagle.

Now, Meghan is grieving the loss of one of her most important family members, whom she rescued 10 years ago.

Meghan Markle’s beagle, Guy | Netflix/YouTube

Meghan Markle says goodbye to her beagle, Guy

Meghan lived a pretty ordinary life before becoming the Duchess of Sussex, and in 2015, she adopted what would become her best friend through it all: Her beagle, Guy. Meghan revealed the story of Guy on Instagram, but only after sharing a heartfelt message that he had passed. It’s unclear how old Guy was, but fans of Meghan’s might have spotted him in the trailer for her upcoming Netflix show, With Love, Meghan.

“If you followed me on Instagram back in the day, you saw a lot of him — and on The Tig too. He was with me at Suits, when I got engaged, (and then married), when I became a mom,” part of Meghan’s caption read. The duchess doesn’t often refer to her life before becoming a royal, but her words are a reminder that she was someone before the whole world knew her.

Meghan also revealed that her late pup had been in a “terrible accident shortly before I moved to the UK,” and she said that, “[Harry] and I would drive late at night, after hours, to see Guy as he recovered in Surrey for months on end.”

The duchess’ caption showed the love she had for her pet, and she thanked him for “years” of that love, adding that she has “cried too many tears to count.”

The royal family is full of dog lovers

Although Meghan and Harry are no longer official working members of the royal family, everyone knows how much the royals love their dogs. Camilla Parker Bowles recently grieved the loss of one of her pups, and it’s no secret that Queen Elizabeth II treated her dogs like royalty.

Perhaps that’s part of what helped Meghan bond with the royal family. And while she doesn’t say much to them at this point, it’s almost certain they’re feeling for her during this time. Fans will get to know Guy a little bit if they watch Meghan’s new show, which premieres January 15, and she even wrote in her caption that “you may fall a little bit in love [with Guy] too.”

Meghan Markle Predicted She’d Be ‘Rich and Famous’ In a Letter She Wrote at Age 11

Julia Mullaney — Wed, 08 Jan 2025 13:23:00 +0000

When Prince Harry married Meghan Markle in 2018, it looked like it could be the start of a new generation of leading royal family members. Harry and Meghan, plus Prince William and Kate Middleton, could have made an iconic group. However, Harry and Meghan ultimately wanted to live a happier, more peaceful life outside of the family, so they’ve pursued new business opportunities in the United States.

Although Meghan might not have expected to become a duchess married to royal fame, she did know that she was meant to be famous. She said so in a letter she wrote to one of her teachers when she was 11.

Meghan Markle | Alberto Rodriguez/Variety/Getty Images

Meghan Markle predicted her fame at age 11

Meghan was raised in California, and from a young age, she knew she wanted to be in the spotlight. She took acting classes, and while she received her college education from Northwestern, she had big plans to become an actor. She succeeded, having landed the role of Rachel Zane on the USA Network show Suits, which she starred in up until she had to leave due to dating the prince.

But Meghan’s fame skyrocketed when she met Harry, and now, she’s living in California, launching her own lifestyle show, and building businesses both independently and with her husband. During the couple’s Netflix documentary, Meghan met with a former teacher, where she discovered a letter she’d written that foreshadowed her fame.

The teacher, known as Ms. Debbie, pulled out the letter, and Meghan read the “PS” at the bottom. “PS, when I am rich and famous and I write my life story, I will talk about you and the school so you be known worldwide,” the writing said. Of course, Meghan essentially kept her promise without even realizing it, having featured Ms. Debbie in the documentary.

Meghan Markle is taking a new direction with her fame

Meghan and Harry have been philanthropic since they wed, having done plenty of charity work on behalf of the royal family. In 2025, though, Meghan is adding in a new element to her fame by entering the lifestyle space. Meghan previously ran a lifestyle blog called The Tig, where she discussed all things travel, food, fashion, etc. Now, she’s premiering a new show on Netflix that wraps her love of cooking, gardening, and socializing all into one show.

With Love, Meghan premieres on Netflix on January 15, and it’s the duchess’ first step back into the lifestyle space since shutting down her blog back in 2017 in order to marry Harry and become a working royal.

Meghan Markle’s Return to Instagram Is Going Exactly How She ‘Wanted’

Mandi Kerr — Wed, 08 Jan 2025 03:40:00 +0000

Meghan Markle is back on Instagram! The Duchess of Sussex, 43, kicked off 2025 with her return to social media. While she’s posted only twice—more on that ahead—things are going as “planned” for Meghan.

Meghan returned to Instagram on New Year’s Day

The Duchess of Sussex kicked off the new year by returning to Instagram. On Jan. 1, 2025, Meghan shared a Reel of herself writing “2025” in the sand at the beach near her and Prince Harry’s home in Montecito, California, to her @meghan account.

The clip, reportedly filmed by the Duke of Sussex, 40, marked Meghan’s first big splash on social media after closing her personal Instagram account in January 2018 ahead of marrying into the British royal family. As for the @meghan handle, it was created in June 2022 and has long been thought to belong to Meghan.

The next day, on Jan. 2, 2025, Meghan shared another post—the trailer for her new Netflix show, With Love, Meghan. In it, she can be seen in the kitchen and garden with celebrity friends such as Mindy Kaling and fellow Suits alum Abigail Spencer. The series premieres on Jan. 15, 2025.

Meghan ‘got everyone talking’ with her ‘simple and clever’ Instagram post

Discussing Meghan’s Instagram post, royal commentator Jennie Bond suggested to The Mirror that while the former actor’s return to social media was strategic, she may have lost some influence online since her days as a working royal. (Harry and Meghan relocated to California in 2020.)

“She hasn’t broken any records with gaining followers—and she’s not the megastar she was when she was part of the Royal Family—but I’m sure her following will build,” Bond said.

Nevertheless, her return to Instagram is going as expected. “Meghan is good at PR. Her enigmatic post did exactly what she wanted: got everyone talking about what she’s planning next. It was simple and clever.”

Bond also called Meghan’s return to Instagram a “shrewd and obvious move” because the 43-year-old likely had “no choice” but to have an online presence as her Netflix show and American Riviera Orchard lifestyle brand get underway. (Meghan soft-launched the brand in March 2023.)

Comments are disabled on Meghan Markle’s Instagram

Unlike her previous Instagram account, Meghan’s new account does not allow comments. According to PR expert Ed Hopkins, the former Suits star likely made the decision for her mental health.

“From a PR perspective, this decision isn’t necessarily about avoiding engagement,” Hopkins told Express. “But rather about protecting her mental health and reducing the risk of harmful or negative interactions, which can be all too common on social media platforms.”

“It’s no secret that Meghan has faced a significant amount of online criticism in the past,” he added. “And by limiting public commentary, she’s likely seeking to create a more positive and supportive space for herself and her followers.”

The decision may not keep Meghan from engaging with followers. “Meghan’s posts can still foster engagement in other ways—such as through her choice of content, her message, and the conversations she sparks around her posts.” Followers also have “other forms of engagement”—likes, shares, DMs— as other ways “to show their support without the need for open public commentary.”

“Ultimately, the key here is balance,” Hopkins said. “Meghan is likely looking to protect her peace while also sharing meaningful moments and causes with her followers. As we’ve seen from other public figures, taking control of one’s digital environment can be a savvy and empowering move.”

Queen Camilla Hasn’t Forgotten What Meghan Markle Said and Just Sent a Strong Message to Prove the Duchess Wrong

Michelle Kapusta — Wed, 08 Jan 2025 01:57:00 +0000

When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped down from their roles within the royal family, they didn’t go quietly. For years, the couple took shots at the duke’s relatives every chance they got in televised interviews, podcasts, the prince’s memoir, and the Netflix series Harry & Meghan.

While Harry’s family mostly kept in line with their “never complain, never explain” mantra they did refute some of the Sussexes’ claims with their actions rather than saying a word. And for anyone who forgot some of the things Meghan said about the royal women, Queen Camilla hasn’t and is still proving her estranged stepdaughter-in-law wrong at public events.

Here’s what the queen did recently to remind everyone again that what the duchess said is not true.

Queen Camilla completely disproves Meghan’s claim about royal women with help from Kate

One of the things that appears to have rubbed Camilla the wrong way is that Meghan insisted in her Netflix docuseries the female members of the family could not wear the same colors at the same time.

During a confessional in episode three of Harry & Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex explained that “Most of the time that I was in the U.K. I rarely wore color.” She added that her reasoning for not wearing colors was because she wanted to “blend in” with the family and did not want to “stand out” or “embarrass” them. Many viewers have since challenged that claim by sharing posts on X of Meghan wearing bright colors plenty of times.

The former Suits star also said: “To my understanding, you can’t ever wear the same color as Her Majesty if there’s a group event. But then you also should never be wearing the same color as one of the other more senior members of the family.”

Well on Dec. 25, 2024, Queen Camilla showed that there wasn’t any truth to that.

One of the royal family’s Christmas holiday traditions is to walk together to the morning church service at the Sandringham estate. As cameras rolled and crowds of people looked on, Camilla was seen first followed by the Princess of Wales (formerly known as Kate Middleton) and they were both wearing long hunter green coats. Not only were the two donning the same shade of the same color but their hats were a nearly identical shape and they both sported black boots, gloves, and handbags.

This isn’t the first time the royal ladies debunked what the duchess said

This, however, isn’t the first time the royals were decked out in the same hues after Meghan’s comments.

In 2022, days after the Sussexes’ docuseries was released and the duchess’s remarks made headlines, several members of the Firm attended Kate’s “Together at Christmas” carol service at Westminster Abbey. Kate, Zara Tindall, and Princess Charlotte all matched in burgundy-colored coats while Camilla and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh (formerly the Countess of Wessex) wore coordinating off-white ensembles.

The following week the Princess of Wales and Princess Beatrice both rocked dark green jackets as they walked to Christmas morning mass. Moreover, Sophie’s daughter, Lady Louise, opted to wear the same color blue coat as Queen Camilla that day.