The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, finds herself navigating turbulent waters as her popularity in the United Kingdom reaches an unprecedented low. Recent developments have cast a spotlight on her public standing and future endeavours, with commentators analysing her every move for strategic intent.
A Week of Setbacks for the Duchess
It has been a challenging period for Meghan Markle. While her husband, Prince Harry, travelled to the UK, she faced two significant blows. A recent YouGov poll delivered stark news, revealing that only nineteen percent of people in Britain now hold a positive view of the Duchess of Sussex. This figure represents the lowest approval rating she has ever recorded in such surveys.
Compounding this, reports emerged that there are currently no plans for a third season of her Netflix lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan. This development has fuelled widespread speculation about the direction of her professional projects and her overall brand strategy moving forward.
A 'Strategic' Social Media Play
In this context, royal commentators have pointed to a recent Instagram post by Meghan as a deliberate, calculated manoeuvre. For her first grid post of 2026, the Duchess participated in a popular nostalgia trend, sharing a black-and-white video of herself dancing with Prince Harry alongside a throwback photograph believed to be from Botswana.
The caption, "When 2026 feels just like 2016…. you had to be there," has been interpreted by experts as highly intentional. According to royal commentator Alicia Liberty, this was not a simple sentimental look back. "It deliberately anchored her current brand to a time when she enjoyed peak popularity, glowing coverage and complete control of the narrative," Liberty notes. "This was a calculated throwback designed to spark engagement and pull focus back onto her."
The Lingering Question of a UK Return
The timing of this activity is particularly noteworthy, coinciding with Prince Harry's visit and amid growing rumours about Meghan's own potential return to British soil. Speculation suggests she might accompany Harry later this summer, possibly for an Invictus Games event, marking what would be her first visit since 2022.
Opinions on the wisdom of such a return are deeply divided. Some columnists, like Sarah Vine, argue a UK appearance could provide a substantial commercial boost by re-emphasising her royal connections. "After nearly six years in America, the royal fairy dust is finally wearing off," Vine contends, suggesting Meghan needs to "re-up on that magic" to stay relevant.
High-Risk, High-Reward Calculus
However, public relations experts offer a more cautious perspective. PR consultant Mayah Riaz suggests a return to the UK would be a "high-risk" move for the Duchess. She argues that Meghan's commercial power is strongest in the United States, where her royal association is already an established part of her brand identity.
"A UK visit would not automatically equal positive brand lift," Riaz explains. "In fact, I believe it would be high risk, high noise. The UK media landscape is far less forgiving, and any return would be dissected frame by frame. For Meghan, a visit would likely reignite old narratives rather than create new ones."
As Prince Harry's activities in the UK continue, all eyes remain on Meghan Markle's next steps. Her strategic use of social media and the critical decisions about her physical presence in Britain will undoubtedly shape the next chapter of the Sussex narrative, determining whether she can reverse her declining popularity or if new challenges await.
