The Duchess of Sussex has been labelled "self-absorbed" by critics after releasing a promotional video for her lifestyle brand As Ever, just days after Prince Harry spoke publicly about wanting a royal reconciliation.
Meghan Markle unveiled "chapter two" of the Holiday Collection for As Ever, sharing a video on the brand's official Instagram page that promises the festive range offers "something for everyone on your list". The new products include a £73 teapot, a £73 "Signature Two-Wick Holiday Candle", and a £48 tub of chocolate-covered popcorn.
Video Sparks Online Backlash
In the clip, the Duchess is shown lighting a candle, pouring a glass of champagne, and arranging chocolate bars on plates at a lavishly set dining table. The footage then cuts to Meghan staring into the camera lens, before a final shot captures her giggling and touching her hair.
The performance drew criticism on social media, with one X user blasting her as "self-absorbed". Another wrote: "It's always the over-the-top laugh and hair touching. Does she know any other pose?" A third said: "I'm convinced the way she filmed this is mocking her. The look on her face and the hair-touching laugh is super cringe."
Harry's Comments on Family Rift
The launch comes days after Prince Harry told GQ magazine he wants his disagreements with Prince William and King Charles to "work out". Asked whether he grieves his "complicated" relationship with his father and brother, Harry said: "Yeah, yes, of course, from a family perspective, again another massively relatable issue for so many people."
He added: "There's sibling disagreements, there's broken relationships between, you know, kids and their parents, kids and one parent. That continues to come up with me the whole time by people that I speak to, so I know how relatable it is."
Harry continued: "That's partly probably why there's so much fascination… Then people maybe look at us and go, 'how are you going to work it out?' Then 'maybe how I see you're going to work it out, maybe that will help me work my stuff out'. Some people don't want it to work out – I want it to work out."
He added: "Of course I do. With everything else that's going on in the world, the most important thing is to reconcile – that's the key point." A Sussex spokesperson later said his comments were "absolutely not intended as a swipe at his brother or any other member of his family".
