Meghan Markle is once again facing criticism online after sharing what many have called an “out of touch” and “very unroyal” video just hours before she was honored as Humanitarian of the Year.
Lavish Behind-the-Scenes Montage
The 44-year-old Duchess of Sussex posted a short montage to Instagram on Tuesday, highlighting her four-day trip to New York City with Prince Harry, 41. The couple left their two children, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four, in California while attending various engagements and celebrity meetings on the East Coast.
In the video, Meghan offered a glimpse inside her luxurious hotel suite, displaying rows of designer shoes and racks of expensive clothing, including a Chanel tweed set. She was also seen applying lipstick in front of a mirror, surrounded by high-end beauty products.
Set to Dinah Washington’s If I Were a Bell, the montage included scenes of Harry rehearsing a speech and the pair sharing a laugh in a modern kitchen before attending Project Healthy Minds’ World Mental Health Day Festival, where they received the Humanitarians of the Year Award for their advocacy work in mental health and digital safety.
Criticism from Commentators
Despite the event’s serious message, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams argued that the video sent the wrong impression.
“Meghan’s new video seems very off-key with rows of shoes and dresses. We hear Dinah Washington’s If I Were a Bell whilst Harry lounges around barefoot,” Fitzwilliams told Radar Online.
“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. This mishmash of a video looked juvenile, unsophisticated, and very unroyal.”
Online Reactions
The backlash quickly spread across social media, with Reddit threads and X users questioning both the timing and tone of the post.
One commenter wrote, “Such compassionate Humanitarians, really showing up and doing good by: going on date nights at exclusive clubs, staying at luxurious hotels surrounded by bodyguards, traveling on private jets, bringing dozens of shoes and ensembles that most of us couldn’t afford in a year. Had you just donated the expense of this pointless vanity PR blitz trip to NYC, maybe you would have had some credibility restored.”
Others likened the video to “Kardashian-level excess,” while another added, “Shows she’s so out of touch… This is her influencer wannabe era.”
Support from Fans
Not everyone agreed with the criticism. Supporters came to Meghan’s defense, praising her confidence and independence. “Meghan is an amazing person and allowed to share whatever videos she wants to,” one fan commented. Another added, “I love that she and Harry pay the haters dust and are living their beautiful lives on their own terms!”
Previous Controversy in Paris
The video came just a week after another polished montage Meghan shared from her trip to Paris for Balenciaga’s Spring/Summer 2026 show under new creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli. That clip sparked outrage when it appeared to show the Duchess reclining in a limousine near the Pont de l’Alma tunnel — the site of Princess Diana’s fatal 1997 crash.
One user on X wrote, “Please tell me that’s not real? She didn’t actually do that… did she?” Another called it “so distasteful.”
Still, others insisted it was purely coincidental. “Some folks read into the most mundane of things. Why even think that?” one fan said. Another added, “This was clearly unintentional. Leave Meghan alone.”
