Prince Harry Allegedly Worried Meghan’s New Social Media Move Is Too ‘Fergie-Esque’
Prince Harry has never really been able to avoid public scrutiny, try all he might. While recent weeks saw his uncle, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, get dragged in the media, a new wave of criticism now erupts around the Sussexes. Reports suggest that the Prince is uneasy about Meghan Markle’s recent social media activities. Those close to the couple say he worries that her approach may mirror that of Sarah Ferguson, whose public reinventions once drew controversy.
Since stepping back from the royal life in 2020, Markle has been feverishly building her lifestyle brand, As Ever. However, her latest bid to promote the brand on Instagram didn't sit well with netizens. In the said post, Markle is seen seated beside a candle and a blue notebook embossed with her royal cypher ― the letter M beneath a crown. As the image went viral, royal watchers couldn't help but call out the Sussexes on their hypocrisy.
A person slammed on X (formerly Twitter), "Another example of Meghan putting her royal cypher on pretty much anything, you can see it on her notebook in the latest Instagram story." Another scoffed, “Markle is constantly trying to capitalize on the very family she mocked and defamed. Harry allows it. He’s pathetic, too.” A third sneered, “It's pathetic at this point. If you must remind everyone you're connected to royalty, you're not royal at all.” Meanwhile, one individual straight-up compared her with Ferguson, penning, “Fergie 2.0.” The criticism, though familiar, has reportedly left Harry unsettled.
An insider told Page Six that the Duke of Sussex finds the optics ‘not a great look and Fergie-esque.’ Ferguson famously has endured scrutiny for her bizarre commercial ventures following her divorce from Mountbatten Windsor in 1996. From blenders to environmental diapers, she has tried to sell it all. In light of the same, reports suggest that the Duke is concerned about public perception. He worries that the faint reminder of royal privilege clashes with their efforts to stand apart from it. The couple’s representatives have declined to comment on the matter, but behavioral expert Judi James believes the Sussexes know exactly what they are doing.
Speaking to The Mirror, she said, "The balance between sharing glimpses of a celeb's private life and invading their own privacy must hopefully be one that Harry and Meghan have taken on with a seriously like-minded approach, although Meghan does tend to be shown as the keener and more comfortable performer during their more recent 'private' clips.” As per James, Harry and Markle’s public appearances show a couple who carefully manage how they are seen instead of leaving it to chance. Still, with the royal family currently caught in turmoil over 'the Andrew saga,' Harry is likely relieved that attention has briefly shifted away from him and Markle.
Royal commentator Jennie Bond also argued that the couple may be carefully watching Mountbatten Windsor and Ferguson’s royal fall from grace. For the Duke of Sussex, family ties remain significant, especially his cousins Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. "Harry is, however, close to his cousins. I'm sure he feels great sympathy for them... But, if needed, I think Harry would be there for them… at least on the end of the phone,” Bond opined. She added that the Sussexes will, however, never extend the support publicly, again worried over optics.