The Duchess of Sussex faced criticism for her recent social media posts marking her 45th birthday, with a royal commentator suggesting they serve as a smokescreen for her unpopularity.
On Tuesday evening, Meghan shared two black-and-white photos of herself jumping into a pool while holding birthday balloons, accompanied by the message: “Thank you for the birthday love!” Later, she posted two videos on her Instagram stories, including one of her dancing around her kitchen in Montecito, California, next to a kitchen island with large happy birthday balloons.
Backlash Over 'Cringe' Videos
In the video, Meghan was barefoot and dressed in white pyjamas—white trousers and an oversized t-shirt reading “It’s giving Mrs.” Prince Harry, who likely recorded the video, could be heard laughing and saying, “Oh dear.”
The posts sparked backlash from royal watchers and fans, who described them as “cringe” and “embarrassing” on social media.
Royal Commentator Weighs In
Journalist Phil Dampier told The Sun: “They’re always a bit contrived, aren’t they?” He added: “When you see these pictures of hers, they’re always very, very contrived. You’re always very controlled. I don’t know what message she’s trying to send out with her, just that she’s carefree and having a great time, I suppose.”
Dampier also addressed Meghan’s unpopularity with the British public, despite her recent trip to the UK last month. He said: “All this business about the security, I think, was a bit of a smoke screen. But I don’t think it changes the fundamentals over here. I don’t think she’s popular with the public. I don’t think she’d go down very well if she met members of the public.”
Poll Shows Unfavorable Views
A YouGov poll commissioned after the Sussexes’ UK trip earlier this month revealed that only 22% of Britons hold a favourable view of Meghan, while 65% have an unfavourable opinion. The survey, conducted July 21-22 among 2,063 Brits and published today, underscores the duchess's continued unpopularity in Britain.
