Meghan Markle shares new photo of Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet but the timing slammed as 'tacky'
Meghan was accused of 'exploiting' her children with the timing of her post
Meghan Markle is facing backlash after sharing a rare new photo of her children – Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3. Critics are calling the timing of the picture a “tacky” attempt to drive traffic to her latest business venture.
On Monday, the Duchess of Sussex, 43, posted a heartwarming family photo to the official Instagram page of her lifestyle brand As Ever, featuring herself alongside her two children.
In the photo, the trio are pictured outdoors with their backs to the camera. Archie is seen hugging Meghan’s leg. The mum-of-two is multi-tasking as she carries Lilibet on her hip. The Duchess keeps it casual in a crisp white shirt, blue jeans, and a wide-brimmed straw hat.
She captioned the image with a simple dove emoji and the words, “Every day is a love story.”
Meghan also tagged her personal account, which boasts 2.6 million followers. The As Ever account has more than 730,000.
Meghan Markle accused of ‘exploiting’ Archie and Lilibet with new business venture
But just an hour later, Meghan launched a new “ShopMy” page under the brand.
This page showcases curated luxury items – including a £1,068 “Windsor” dress by Heidi Merrick, £600 Saint Laurent sandals, and a £400 necklace.
A disclaimer on the page notes that “some products may contain commissionable links”. This suggests that the Duchess could earn a cut from purchases made via her recommendations.
The timing of the photo and the subsequent shop launch has drawn strong criticism, with royal commentator Phil Dampier calling it “tacky and desperate.”
“Nothing happens by accident,” Phil told The Sun. “She would have thought this through and knows putting a photo of her children out at the same time as her clothing line would get maximum publicity.
It begs the question whether Meghan is exploiting her two children who remain in the line of succession. I’d expect the Palace to take a dim view of this.”
The move comes despite Prince Harry and Meghan previously agreeing not to use their royal titles for commercial gain following their 2020 exit from royal life.
“Everything they do is tacky”
Dickie Arbiter, former press secretary to the late Queen Elizabeth II, also criticised the rollout.
“It’s tacky – everything they do is tacky,” Dickie claimed The Sun. “It’s a mixture of a lack of imagination and desperation. They left the UK because they wanted privacy.”
The rare photo comes on the heels of Meghan’s recent push to revamp her personal brand.
Earlier this month, she unveiled a new Netflix cooking and lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan. She is now set to launch a new podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder, on April 8.
Her new website, Sussex.com, has also raised eyebrows, as the couple were previously prohibited from using “SussexRoyal” under the terms set by the late Queen.
Royal Insider has approached Meghan Markle’s representatives for comment.
Read more: Prince Archie is taking after dad Harry in adorable new photo – and he’s growing up so tall
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