Charles Spencer Quietly Responded to Meghan Markle's Critics ― And It Spoke Volumes, Expert Says
Meghan Markle's latest social media post has sparked fresh royal backlash, but Charles Spencer may have quietly come to her defense.
Meghan Markle has found herself at the center of yet another royal controversy. The Duchess of Sussex has been facing intense criticism after sharing a photograph of Prince Harry, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet walking toward Princess Diana’s gravesite at Althorp. Reports have claimed the post did not sit well with senior members of the royal family, with King Charles and Prince William reportedly believing the image crossed a line by depicting one of the monarchy’s most sacred and private family sites. However, amid the growing backlash, one royal relative appears to have quietly come to Meghan’s defense, at least according to columnist Richard Eden.
Apparently, he believes a subtle gesture from Princess Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, may have spoken louder than any public statement following the backlash surrounding Meghan Markle’s recent social media post. The Daily Mail columnist weighed in after Markle shared a photograph. While some critics accused the Duchess of Sussex of being 'tasteless' by including the private family location, Eden argues the real story unfolded in the days that followed. "There was, however, a little-noticed response from Lord Spencer to the criticism of Meghan and Harry," he wrote, suggesting Spencer appeared to quietly signal his support for Harry and Markle instead of distancing himself from the controversy.
Rather than addressing the criticism directly and adding to the Royal drama and controversy, Spencer’s partner, Cat Jarman, shared photographs from another Spencer family gravesite belonging to Spencer’s late brother, John Spencer. In the post, Jarman revealed that Spencer had recently restored the headstone, drawing attention to another deeply personal family memorial. For Eden, the timing of the post was sincerely significant. Although neither Spencer nor Jarman referenced Markle, Harry or the criticism surrounding the Althorp photograph, the columnist believes, "There could have been no clearer way for Earl Spencer to spell out that he approved of Meghan's social media posts from Althorp."
Eden also points out that Spencer has generally stayed away from publicly commenting on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex or becoming involved in the couple’s many controversies. That is why, in his view, this apparent show of support clearly stood out. The columnist also highlighted the close relationship between Harry and his uncle, writing, "Almost three decades after the car crash in Paris that killed Diana, Lord Spencer is still close to at least one of her sons." He added, "He has, however, become something of a father figure for Harry," noting that the Duke spent time staying at Althorp with Earl Spencer during his recent visit to Britain.
Rather than issuing a statement or responding to critics, Spencer seemingly allowed the post to speak for itself. While Spencer has not confirmed that the social media post was intended as a response to the backlash, Eden believes the sequence of events suggests otherwise. In his analysis, the decision to highlight another Spencer family gravesite so soon after the post amounted to a quiet but meaningful gesture toward his nephew and his wife.
