Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · September 28, 2025 · Entertainment

Meghan's Dilemma: Celebrity Royal or Royal Celebrity?

Meghan's love for the limelight following her previous life on TV sparked an unshakable identity crisis for the Sussexes. Pictured: Harry and Meghan attend 'The Lion King' European Premiere at Leicester Square in July 2019

Meghan Markle: From Royal Darling to Celebrity Outcast?

The world was abuzz when Meghan Markle and Prince Harry tied the knot at Windsor Castle in 2018, marking a new era for the British monarchy. The former Suits star brought a fresh face and flair to the royal family, but it seemed her love of the limelight sparked an identity crisis that still lingers more than seven years on.

As we delve into the controversy surrounding Meghan's time as a senior member of the royal family, it becomes clear that her behavior was anything but royal. With A-list celebrities in attendance at their wedding, including George and Amal Clooney, Oprah Winfrey, and stars from Suits, it seemed Meghan had already set her sights on becoming a Hollywood superstar.

In the midst of her 'long British maternity leave' in 2019 and just two months after the birth of Archie, both Meghan and Harry were pictured greeting pop icon Beyoncé at the Lion King premiere in London

Just months after giving birth to Archie, the Duchess of Sussex was spotted greeting Beyoncé at the Lion King premiere in London. It was just one of many high-profile appearances that would cement her reputation as a celebrity rather than a royal. The couple's decision to take four private jets across 11 days, despite Prince Harry's impassioned speech about saving the planet, raised eyebrows and sparked accusations of hypocrisy.

According to royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams, Meghan's behavior was "shameless" and exemplified "royal celebrity at its worst." He noted that her actions contrasted sharply with those of other senior royals, particularly Prince William and Kate, who opted for a budget flight when visiting Scotland. The contrast between the couples' travel choices was stark, with no visit to see Queen Elizabeth at Balmoral.

Meghan's decision to guest edit one of Vogue's most notorious issues, alongside Edward Enninful, was also met with controversy. Dubbed her "unexpected Waterloo," the September 2019 issue featured a plethora of A-list celebrities, including Greta Thunberg and Jacinda Ardern, but notably excluded the late Queen. The move sparked accusations that Meghan had politicized the royal family and abandoned traditional values.

The Duke and Duchess hold a number of star-studded celebrity friends from across the globe. Pictured: US tennis player Serena Williams and her husband US entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian arrive at Harry and Meghan's wedding ceremony in May 2018

In an interview with The Times, Enninful bluntly dismissed the possibility of collaborating with Meghan again, stating that he felt they had "done it" and wouldn't repeat themselves. The remark was particularly biting given that Enninful has since praised King Charles and Queen Camilla, his new employers at the Prince's Trust (now the King's Trust). It seems the friendship between Meghan and Enninful has imploded, with sources suggesting a disagreement over how Vogue would present articles about Meghan and Harry's charitable work.

Meghan's subsequent business ventures have only added fuel to the fire. Her launch of ShopMy, an affiliate marketing platform on Instagram, has been met with criticism from royal experts, who argue that it blurs the line between influencer culture and traditional philanthropy. The Duchess's decision to monetize her brand by promoting clothes through affiliate links contradicts her previous stance as a humanitarian and media entrepreneur.

As she promotes her lifestyle brand, As Ever, Meghan has faced backlash for embracing "standard influencer behavior." Her latest Instagram post, showcasing her gardening skills, was seen as a subtle promotion of her ongoing business ventures. The caption read: "Seasons shift, but the garden stays magic."

The Duchess' controversial luxurious summer travels of 2019 were also compounded by the decision to guest edit on one of Vogue's most notorious issues, alongside influential taste baron Edward Enninful (pictured)

The Sussexes' new multi-year deal with Netflix has also sparked controversy. While the couple's previous contract was for exclusive content, their new arrangement allows Netflix to say yes or no to new projects before anyone else. The move raises questions about whether Meghan and Harry are prioritizing profit over philanthropy.

Their latest output includes a second season of With Love, Meghan, which failed to break into Netflix's top ten programs. However, the documentary Harry & Meghan was a huge success, attracting 23.4 million views in its first four days. The couple's decision to partner with Netflix on various projects has been met with criticism from royal experts, who argue that it blurs the line between their philanthropic work and commercial endeavors.

As the controversy surrounding Meghan Markle continues to simmer, one thing is clear: her time as a senior member of the royal family was marked by controversy, hypocrisy, and a desire for celebrity status. Will she ever be able to shake off the label "celebrity outcast" or will her reputation continue to suffer? Only time will tell.

In August  2019, the Royal couple boarded a private jet to visit Sir Elton John's private villa (pictured) in the south of France. Across just eleven days, the Duke and Duchess took four private jets, despite being public advocates for environmental issues and climate change

Sources:

  • The Scholarly Note (thescholarlynote.com)
  • Robert Lacey's book Battle of Brothers
  • Tina Brown's book The Palace Papers
  • Interviews with royal experts Richard Fitzwilliams and Hayley Knight

Described as Meghan's 'unexpected Waterloo', the reveal of the September 2019 Vogue issue, titled 'Forces for Change', was said to have been a 'mystifying bore' for 'traditional Vogue subscribers', according to royal expert Tina Brown in her bestseller 'The Palace Papers'

Pictured: George Clooney greets Serena Williams while actor Idris Elba and Sabrina Dhowre watch on at Meghan and Harry's wedding at St George's Chapel. Meghan has publicly insisted that she is 'not an influencer', but, rather, 'a female founder' and 'entrepreneur'

Speaking to The Mail, Richard Fitzwilliams said that though Prince Harry is, of course, born a prince, 'his behaviour when with Meghan has usually been that of a celebrity, fatefully sharing her addiction to media appearances, especially when promoting his ill-advised memoir, Spare'

In September 2019, Meghan controversially boarded a private flight to New York to watch her old friend Serena Williams play in the US Open finals (Pictured: Meghan with Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, and Pippa Middleton in the Royal Box on Wimbledon's Centre Court in July 2019)

Edward's (pictured) remarkable final Vogue cover for the March 2024 issue featured 40 'legendary' women, from Serena Williams to Oprah Winfrey, but with one notable absence: Meghan. The Mail on Sunday later revealed that the pair's friendship had imploded

David and Victoria Beckham, alongside Sir Elton John, were amongst a number of A-list guests in attendance at Harry and Meghan's wedding. Tina Brown writes that one key dilemma dominated their Royal tenure: 'Whether the Sussexes were celebrity royals or royal celebrities'

It comes just a week after Meghan Markle drew attention to her brand with her latest As Ever promotional post (pictured), while senior members of the Royal Family put on a united front for the American President