A New York-based flight attendant has gone viral after sharing a heartwarming encounter with Meghan Markle—though the sweet gesture hasn’t done much to repair the Duchess of Sussex’s polarizing image.
In a TikTok video, American Airlines flight attendant Nina Vida enthusiastically recalled serving Markle on a recent flight. Dressed in her uniform, Nina couldn’t hide her excitement: “You guys will not believe who I just had on my flight, who I had the pleasure of serving! The Queen, the princess, the Duchess of Sussex! THE Meghan Markle.”
Nina showed off a handwritten note Markle left on a napkin:
“Dear AA girlies, thank you for the love, hospitality and handwritten note – you know me well. All love right back to you. As ever, Meghan.”
The moment felt magical for Nina, who admired Markle’s penmanship: “This handwriting is giving rich! It’s giving expensive, it’s giving princess.” S
he admitted she could “barely read this cursive” but was still thrilled. Markle also complimented Nina’s nails, a small detail that left the crew buzzing.
The video quickly gained traction on TikTok, where many praised the duchess and encouraged people to embrace her softer, more relatable side. However, outside of the platform, the response was notably less forgiving.
“She can’t do anything without people wondering what the ulterior motive is,” one commenter wrote, reflecting a common skepticism that has followed Markle for years. Others dismissed the note entirely: “Don’t care how many handwritten notes Meghan gives out, it won’t change the fact that both her and H’s true characters have been exposed to the world.”
Critics referenced ongoing perceptions of Markle’s supposed diva behavior, suggesting the gesture was performative. “Surely cabin crew are merely servants in the sky and you know how she treats minions. Perhaps she is trying to redeem herself,” one user said.
Public relations experts also chimed in, noting the possible strategic undertones of Markle’s note. PR veteran Mark Borkowski called it part of a “PR playbook” aimed at repairing a public image that’s “running dry.”
“Meghan is at a crossroads,” Borkowski explained, warning that her approach to “‘authentic’ vulnerability” is no longer resonating. He described handwritten notes like this as part of a “well-rehearsed script” and noted that her past sympathy well “is evaporating.”
This isn’t Markle’s first time using personal notes to counter criticism. Earlier this year, she sent a handwritten letter to podcaster Amanda Hirsch, who had previously critiqued her Netflix series. The note read: “Don’t be scared. Let’s enjoy it.” Hirsch later declared herself a “fan for life.”
Graphologist Tracey Trussell was even consulted by some media outlets to analyze Markle’s handwriting. While she found it elegant, Trussell described it as “style over substance,” adding, “When someone hides behind a carefully constructed mask, it means that we’ll never really know what’s going on underneath.”
Markle’s use of “As Ever” in the napkin note also raised eyebrows, as the phrase doubles as the name of her new lifestyle brand. The signature, which appears frequently in her posts, led some skeptics to suggest the video was subtle marketing—or even staged. Some speculated the flight attendant may have been paid to post it.
The viral video joins a wave of curated content aimed at refreshing the Sussex brand. Just days earlier, Markle released personal anniversary photos featuring intimate family moments and handwritten lyrics from “Stand by Me.”
Whether or not the napkin note had the intended effect, it succeeded in one clear way: it got people talking. As debate swirls—admiring or suspicious—the public conversation around Meghan Markle carries on.
On TikTok, at least, the sentiment was warmer: “Meghan is awesome!”
