The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, is facing criticism for sharing footage of her daughter, Lilibet, on social media, sparking a debate over her longstanding privacy concerns.
The Sun reported that Markle, well-known for keeping her children out of the public eye, recently shared a video of her daughter ahead of a Netflix release, leading to accusations of hypocrisy.
Last week, Meghan, often at the forefront of public conversation, sent social media into a frenzy by posting rare footage of her daughter, Lilibet.
The video, widely shared on Instagram, shows the toddler accompanied by tennis star Serena Williams. Captioned as "Adorable footage," the video depicts Meghan and Lilibet playing a personalized Candy Land board game against a backdrop of the classic song "Lovely Day" by Bill Withers.
This move raised eyebrows, given Meghan’s history of keeping her children away from the limelight.
Royal author Hugo Vickers did not mince words, labeling the footage release as “hypocritical.” His remarks highlighted the perceived contradiction between Meghan's previous calls for privacy and her current actions. He expressed strong opinions about the situation, suggesting that Meghan uses her children as a “promotional gambit.”
In his critique, Vickers questioned what Lilibet might think of this media exposure as she grows older. Vickers stated, "I think it's awful, quite frankly," highlighting his disapproval. He further implied that Meghan’s recent activities are motivated by financial gains over privacy, a stance he finds regrettable.
Vickers also noted a growing trend where Meghan seems to be using members of her family for promotional purposes. The recent footage of Lilibet, he suggested, serves as a lure to attract viewers to Meghan’s projects. Vickers expressed, "It's obviously designed to lure people into this."
The timing of Lilibet's debut coincides with Meghan's forthcoming cookery series, "With Love, Meghan." Her Instagram post promoting the show invited followers to join her on Netflix for a celebration in three days.
Criticism isn’t solely focused on her children. Meghan’s husband, Prince Harry, also features prominently in her promotional efforts. A teaser for her program, including his appearances, has led to accusations that he is being used for "product placement." This approach has fueled the ongoing narrative about Meghan's media strategy.
Meghan has faced significant hurdles in bringing her vision to fruition. Her rebranding journey, which involved a name change to "As Ever" due to trademark disputes, has not been without controversy. Additionally, her series faced allegations of being too similar to another program, "Cooking With Love."
Adding to her challenges, a town in Majorca, Porreres, considered legal action against Meghan over potential logo similarities.
The plot continues to thicken as Meghan grapples with accusations of plagiarism—a hurdle that she hasn’t been able to sidestep easily.
Vickers weighed in on the broader implications of Meghan's strategic choices. Accusations of hypocrisy continue to linger as critics assert she is profiting at the expense of privacy. "Has she put financial gain before privacy? Yes, she has," Vickers stated, encapsulating critics' concerns.
Yet, Meghan’s message on her platform was confident. She acknowledged that "It's a learning curve," suggesting she views these challenges as opportunities for growth.
For Meghan, the decision to share aspects of her personal life may be a calculated move to boost her brand visibility and relate to her audience. However, the backlash underscores the delicate balance between public life and private desires, especially for individuals constantly under the media spotlight.
