Meghan Markle's '40x40' Project: Big Hype, Little Impact?
Meghan Markle's Birthday Fiasco: A Glimpse into the Duchess's Ephemeral Projects
As Meghan Markle celebrates her 44th birthday, royal observers are still scratching their heads about the bombshell campaign she launched four years ago to help women return to work after the pandemic. Dubbed "40x40," the initiative was meant to be a groundbreaking project that would create a domino effect of mentorship and support for women worldwide.
But what happened? The Archewell campaign, which featured a star-studded cast, including Melissa McCarthy and a cameo by Prince Harry, suddenly went quiet after just a few days. And it's not the only example of Meghan's fleeting passion projects that have left many questioning her commitment to causes close to her heart.
The 40x40 Initiative: A Gimmick or a Genuine Effort?
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told The Scholarly Note that he believes the initiative was merely a "gimmick" designed to boost Meghan's appeal. According to Fitzwilliams, the project seemed like an imaginative way for Meghan to celebrate her 40th birthday while promoting gender equality – a cause she had publicly supported for years.
But what really happened behind the scenes? The project promised a global wave of compassion and positive change, with a ripple effect boosted by social media. However, few reportedly shared Meghan's birthday poem connected to this project, and there was never any clear idea of how it would be funded or how exactly it would benefit from just 40 minutes of mentorship.
"It was clearly just a gimmick designed to boost Meghan's appeal, which she may have overestimated both then and now," Fitzwilliams said. "Perhaps she would benefit from 40 minutes of mentorship herself!"
The Archewell Campaign: A Series of Unfortunate Events
Meghan has always touted herself as an independent person with a passion for social causes. However, her track record suggests otherwise. Before marrying Prince Harry, Meghan was an actress and lifestyle blogger who wrote about style, food, and travel on her popular blog, The Tig.
But when she shuttered its doors in 2017 ahead of her wedding to Prince Harry, many wondered if it was due to her lack of commitment or simply a desire for more lucrative ventures. It seems that Meghan has always been driven by self-promotion rather than genuine philanthropy.
Take, for example, her Netflix series, "With Love, Meghan," which failed to reach the top 300 for the first half of this year. Ominous news for the Sussexes, indeed! The project was meant to be a showcase for Meghan's cooking skills and charitable endeavors, but it seems that even her own supporters are losing faith in her ability to deliver on her promises.
The Podcast Fiasco: "Fing Grifters"*
Meghan's podcast, "Archetypes," didn't exactly set the world ablaze. After just one season, the podcast was canceled, and Meghan parted ways with Spotify. But what really happened behind closed doors? According to sources, the couple's deal with Spotify was nothing short of a grifting operation.
Bill Simmons, the head of podcast innovation and monetization at the time, infamously called the Sussexes "f*ing grifters." It seems that even those closest to Meghan are questioning her business acumen.
A Pattern of Ephemeral Projects
Personal branding and publicity expert Katrina Owens told The Scholarly Note that Meghan's projects have all seemed to be "short-lived" and lacking follow-through in a way that feels "messy and uncoordinated." It's as if Meghan has an attention span of a goldfish – she flits from one project to the next, leaving a trail of broken promises and disillusioned supporters in her wake.
At the end of her 40x40 video, Stella McCartney quipped, "See you at 50!" Perhaps we will finally see the fruition of Meghan's project come to light in six years' time. But until then, it seems that the Duchess's reputation as a flaky and self-serving celebrity is here to stay.
Contacted for comment, Archewell declined to respond to The Scholarly Note's questions about the 40x40 initiative and Meghan's other projects. It seems that even the couple's publicists are struggling to spin their way out of this one.
