Meghan Markle under fire for ‘irresponsible’ photo of daughter Princess Lilibet with Prince Harry
The duchess was marking International Women's Day
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have come under some criticism after sharing what many online users have called an “irresponsible” photo of their daughter, Princess Lilibet.
The image was posted by Meghan, 43, to Instagram on Saturday (March 8) to mark International Women’s Day.
It shows Lilibet, three, sitting on Prince Harry’s lap during a boat ride as he lovingly kisses her head.
While the moment appeared heartwarming, it quickly sparked backlash when eagle-eyed social media users noticed that Lilibet wasn’t appearing to wear a life jacket. Boating laws in California require children under 13 to wear one at all times on a moving vessel.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry accused of ‘irresponsible’ photo of daughter Lilibet
The online reaction was swift and brutal. Many users slammed the Sussexes for what they deemed a serious safety oversight.
One user on X wrote: “A child on a boat without a life jacket makes me cringe. We’ve had several drownings in our state for that very reason.”
“She should ABSOLUTELY have a life vest on. How irresponsible,” another fumed.
“How irresponsible. Even pet owners put life vests on their pets when riding in boats,” a third viewer complained.
Meghan and Harry defended by fans over Lilibet picture
Despite the backlash, some supporters defended Meghan and Harry, suggesting that the boat may not have been moving at the time the photo was taken.
“Not that this is an excuse, but I’ll bet this boat was just sitting on the beach,” one user speculated.
She should ABSOLUTELY have a life vest on. How irresponsible.
“They may be tied up at the dock!” Another agreed.
However, this didn’t stop the wave of criticism, with many arguing that a life jacket should still have been worn as a precaution.
Royal Insider has contacted reps for the duke and duchess for comment.
The controversial photo was part of a larger International Women’s Day post, where Meghan celebrated strong women in her life.
Alongside the image of Lilibet and Harry, she also shared a selfie with her mother, Doria Ragland, and a beachside snap of Meghan and Harry hugging and laughing.
The post was captioned: “Celebrating the strong women around us and the girls with dreams who will become women with vision. Also thanking those who uplift us every day.”
Meanwhile, this social media backlash comes at a challenging time for Meghan.
With Love, Meghan reviews
Her new Netflix series, With Love, Meghan has been met with largely negative reviews from media outlets.
Despite the lukewarm reception, Meghan appears unbothered, as she confirmed on Instagram that With Love, Meghan has been renewed for a second season.
A video posted to her Instagram Stories showed Meghan dancing around excitedly.
Read now: Harry and Meghan’s friendship with Oprah Winfrey now four years on from explosive interview
So, what do you think? Let us know by leaving a comment on our Facebook page @RoyalInsiderOfficial.
