Meghan Markle Slammed for Her ‘Juvenile’ And 'Very Unroyal' Video With Prince Harry
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry attended the Project Healthy Minds’ World Mental Health Day Gala in New York on October 9. Shortly after the outing, the Duchess of Sussex shared a feel-good behind-the-scenes video. The clip, set to Dinah Washington's If I Were a Bell, opens with Markle filming the clouds from an airplane. It then features cookies, with one shaped like a New York City taxi. The clip cuts to an assortment of luxury heels on a clothing rack, alongside dress pants and blazers. As she decides what to wear, she pans the camera to Harry, who smiles by the doorway, barefoot, in gray sweatpants and a t-shirt. The video continues with Markle doing her makeup at the vanity, interspersed with snippets from the Gala, and concludes with a heartwarming moment of her laughing backstage with Harry.
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Commenting on the same, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams criticized Markle for what he saw as extravagant displays of wealth and an obsession with opulence. Fitzwilliams believed that Markle’s video undermined the true purpose of the New York visit, which was promoting mental health awareness. He told the Daily Express, "Meghan's new video seems very off-key with rows of shoes and dresses. We hear Dinah Washington's If I Had a Bell whilst Harry lounges around barefoot. You feel that the allure of luxury is irresistible to her, but she should bear in mind that it would be beyond the reach of many. The trip was about a serious subject to which the Sussexes have contributed." As such, he dubbed the clip as "juvenile, unsophisticated, and very unroyal."
As the video made the rounds on the internet, royal fans recognized one of the clips, which showed Markle laughing as Harry smiled behind. A day before, she had shared the same on her Instagram stories, captioning it, "Happy World Mental Health Day...to the man who always keeps me laughing." The video was set to Sylvie Vartan's song Baby, c'est vous. In it, she looked chic in her Armani black suit and chunky gold chain. Harry twinned with her in a black suit and metallic tie. In the same outfits, they posed for red carpet photos together, lovingly holding hands.
At the Project Healthy Minds’ World Mental Health Day Gala, the Duke and Duchess were honored for their efforts in building a safer online community for youth and families. Their speeches while accepting the award highlighted their commitment to protecting youth from cyberbullying, proving also how their parenting experience fuels their charitable endeavors. Markle, particularly, has been open about her experience with cyberbullying, noting how she is "one of the most bullied people in the world."