In the midst of a troubling period for the British royal family, with both the Princess of Wales and King Charles III battling cancer, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have stirred controversy with the unveiling of new projects deemed “insensitive” by critics.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex recently announced two upcoming series for Netflix. One show will spotlight Meghan celebrating “the joys of cooking, gardening, entertaining, and friendship,” while the other will document the prestigious US Open Polo Championship, a nod to Harry’s passion for the sport.
Adding fuel to the fire, Meghan has launched the inaugural product from her new lifestyle brand – a strawberry jam made in collaboration with a California orchard. Jars of the jam were sent to 50 influencers for promotional taste tests.
The timing of these ventures has drawn sharp rebuke from royal experts and commentators, who view them as strikingly “insensitive” given the serious health battles facing Harry’s father King Charles and sister-in-law Kate.
Outspoken Criticism from a Former Friend
Leading the charge against Harry and Meghan is Lizzie Cundy, a royal expert and former friend of the Duchess. In a scathing interview, Cundy did not mince words, alleging that Meghan is attempting to recast herself in the mold of actress Gwyneth Paltrow’s controversial lifestyle brand Goop.
“They’ve got these new Netflix shows about making jam and cookery and gardening, and then Harry’s about polo playing – it’s not really relatable,” Cundy stated bluntly. “I think it’s pretty insensitive when Catherine’s going through what she’s going through and the King is going through his cancer issues too. It’s really insensitive, to be honest.”
The interviewer suggested the couple appears oblivious to how “ridiculous they’re coming across.” Cundy wholeheartedly agreed: “They never read the room, do they? They’re so into themselves they can’t see the wood for the trees.”
Alleged Hypocrisy and Calls for Apology
Cundy also claimed Meghan has been hypocritical, calling her to task for previously criticizing Kate Middleton while the Princess was being viciously trolled online. “We’ve heard Meghan going on about the trolling and all the horrible comments, and you just think, look at what you’ve actually done to poor Kate.”
The royal commentator went so far as to say Meghan owes Kate a public apology for her past actions. “I think she should come out and actually apologise for what she’s done to poor Kate, and maybe not be so insensitive.”
As for Meghan’s luxe jam launch, Cundy dismissed it as “fake and phoney,” asserting “people are sick to death of her across the pond.” She predicted the venture will fall flat, sniping “I don’t think anyone will be interested at all. It’s fake. It’s phoney. It’s cheesy. I think people are really seeing her for what she is.”
A Delicate Situation for the Royals
The stinging criticism highlights the tenuous position Harry and Meghan find themselves in as they strive to establish their new Hollywood brands and lucrative business ventures. Each new project risks being portrayed as calloused and tone-deaf amid the sober realities facing the royal family.
With King Charles’ cancer revealing serious and the beloved Princess battling an aggressive form of the disease, the Sussexes will need to tread carefully. Their ambitions for building multi-million dollar entertainment and lifestyle empires could quickly be overshadowed by allegations of disrespecting family during a period of immense turmoil and hardship.
As Harry and Meghan continue to push forward with new business endeavors, they will have to strike a delicate balance projecting genuine empathy for the struggles impacting the royals, while not allowing their entrepreneurial dreams to be completely derailed. One misstep could severely tarnish their reputations on a global scale.
