The hatred people feel towards Meghan Markle could lead to catastrophe in Kate Middleton's future - opinion
Why do people hate Meghan Markle, anyway?The disdain people feel when it comes to Meghan Markle hasn’t slowed down since she married Prince Harry but the intense ‘hate’ the royal receives is a bigger problem than we might think.
Before she fell in love with ‘Spare’ Harry in 2017, Meghan was making a name for herself in Hollywood. Having been on a hit legal drama for seven years, and an avid lifestyle blogger on her own website, she was simply that actress from Suits.
She spoke of her passion for helping others, conducting charity work and bringing other women up. Meghan did several interviews with talk show hosts, followed by paparazzi at major events and could walk outside her front door without any fear.
Now? There are 367,000,000 search results linked to her name online. Google brings articles, posts, and forums to the fingertips of millions in less than 0.57 seconds.
But what did Meghan Markle actually do to receive this hate online and on social media – why are people so riled up when they see her face?
It sparks a major shift in the online discourse we live in, which is not only dangerous, but contagious. No person, or royal, is safe.
Why do people hate Meghan Markle, anyway?
Let’s rewind.
Her acting career can’t be the reason why people hate Meghan Markle, otherwise members of any cast would receive the same treatment.
Could it be her deal with Netflix? Prince Harry’s Polo series didn’t seem to upset millions, either. The duchess received backlash for her show, With Love, Meghan, which came out via Netflix in March 2025, but it isn’t a new ‘venture’ for the royal. Her former blog, The Tig, was a hub for her passion for food, fashion, beauty and travel. She ran it for three years, proving it wasn’t a spur of the moment idea either.
If talking about private matters within the royal family, Harry and Meghan aren’t the only culprits.
Mike Tindall, husband of Zara, the daughter of Princess Anne, went on reality show I’m A Celebrity at the end of 2024. He shared funny anecdotes within The Firm, the late Queen, and his close relationship with Prince William.
Let’s not forget Kate Middleton’s uncle Gary Goldsmith going on Big Brother and stirring the pot over her absence. That was a nightmare in itself.
Some people bring up Meghan’s political status which is usually a royal no-no, and yet Prince William ventured to Estonia last month. He was pictured sitting inside a tank near the Russian border as the Ukraine conflict rages on. Too close for comfort? Apparently not. King Charles has also steered too close to the invisible line, when he showed solidarity with president Zelensky after he was humiliated inside the Oval Office weeks before.
Why the double-standard?
What did Meghan Markle do?
Watching the actress mock curtsying the late Queen Elizabeth II will cause a shudder from anyone watching it. But a moment lacking in self-awareness and being able to ‘read the room’ shouldn’t spark a lifetime of hatred.
The image appears to recirculate several times a year, or anytime she breathes a mention of being a duchess or links to the royal family.
The moment, taken from a clip from her Netflix series Harry & Meghan, is cemented into history, whether she likes it or not.
It also doesn’t help when archived posts from The Tig show her making fun of the ‘pomp and circumstance’ that comes with royal weddings. In 2014, she particularly took aim at Kate Middleton’s wedding day to Prince William.
Looking back, she probably wished she didn’t say that – but who hasn’t said something they regret?
The entry from the time went into detail of how when she was younger she wanted to be She-Ra, the Princess of Power, and not live in a fairytale like other girls. But Meghan used it as an opportunity to link it to Kate’s big day.
“We’re definitely not talking about Cinderella here,” she wrote.
“Grown women seem to retain this childhood fantasy. Just look at the pomp and circumstance surrounding the royal wedding and endless conversation about Princess Kate.”
I believe Meghan suffering the ‘same fate’ as Kate and having her own fairytale wedding – which was beautiful – but full of pomp and circumstance, was her tasting her own medicine.
Sitting down with Oprah was a bad call
When she and Prince Harry sat down with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, the world collectively held their breath.
To set the scene, the pair had left the UK the year before to start a new life in Montecito. They found their forever home (mansion) in sunny California with Prince Archie while waiting for Princess Lilibet to arrive. Prince Philip, Harry’s grandfather, was in hospital at the time. It became his longest stint receiving care, and he died a few weeks after the interview aired. The duke’s feud with brother William appeared to be at breaking point, and his father King Charles reportedly ‘cut him off’.
It wasn’t looking good for the Sussexes.
During the tell-all chat, Meghan made the allegation that a member of The Firm made a comment about what colour Archie’s skin colour would be. In fact, the alleged conversation took place in front of Prince Harry, and he was the one to relay the information to Meghan. She never heard it first hand.
The duo refused to name the royals who supposedly said the hurtful remarks, and never have. The royal family came out in a protective stance, with William telling reporters the next day that they were very much ‘not a racist family’. It also forced the late Queen to release a rare statement. Going against her own rule of ‘don’t explain, don’t complain’, she responded through Buckingham Palace, stating that ‘recollections may vary’ and they would deal with the matter privately. She made sure to add that Meghan, Harry and Archie will always remain as loved members of the family.
It was a nightmare, to say the least.
Prince Harry hasn’t helped when it comes to people hating Meghan Markle
When being interviewed by ITV for the promotion of his memoir Spare, he agreed that Prince William and Princess Kate didn’t like his future wife the moment they met her.
When asked by Tom Bradby if the Wales’ “almost from the get-go” did not “get on” with the Duchess of Sussex, he said: “Yeah, fair” in agreement.
He added: “I always hoped that the four of us would get on.
“But very quickly it became Meghan versus Kate.
“And that, when it plays out so publicly, you can’t hide from that”
It would be tough to go up against any establish member of the royal family, but Kate Middleton? No chance. She has consistently been voted as the most popular royal from The Firm over the years in polls.
In a recent YouGov poll, Catherine and William were at the top with the most positive reaction. Whereas, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were in the bottom three, hovering above Prince Andrew – who has retreated from royal life following his stint of scandals.
If we pit someone against the most loved royal, they’re never going to win.
Kate Middleton’s future
Kate has had a year from hell. From learning she was diagnosed with cancer, to seeing the world turn against her when she was taking a break from her official duties.
Conspiracy theories swirled and grew to a point that it seemed nothing could keep them at bay.
For the most loved royal, the tables had turned and she was now a target.
Trolls were cruelly claiming she was divorcing William, or worse, dead. Even broadcasters got involved, with the likes of Piers Morgan claiming he had heard ‘terrible’ things behind closed doors.
Her epic Photoshop fail was seen by the world, and it marked a new era – no royal is safe.
Read more: Kate Middleton and her most controversial moments: From Uncle Gary to those topless photos
Previously, it had seemed that Meghan and Harry were the odd ones out, but now, any member of The Firm could be at the centre of backlash, ridicule and suspicion.
From the perspective of the hate people feel towards Meghan Markle, why would Kate, William or even their children be left alone? Any further instance of someone stepping out of line, or the ‘natural order’ of the royals risks backlash in the public eye. We’re a stickler for wanting things to remain the same, when they never will be.
If the most popular royal could be ‘fair game’ when it comes to hate from people online, why do we think it would stop at Meghan Markle?
It’s just a waiting game now.
Why do you think people claim to hate Meghan Markle? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @RoyalInsiderOfficial.
