Meghan Markle is facing backlash after sharing a new video of her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, on Instagram, with critics accusing her of using them for publicity and personal gain despite her and Prince Harry‘s repeated pleas for privacy.
The video comes just weeks after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex condemned photographers reportedly walking around their children’s school in the U.K. And some critics have been quick to point out what they believe are double standards when it comes to protecting Archie and Lilibet from the public eye. Keep reading to find out more…
@harryandmeghansus NEW: Duchess Meghan shares sweet video of their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet with their cute backpacks. #meghanmarkle #princearchie #princesslilibet #princeharry #sussexroyal ♬ sonido original – harryandmeghansussex
Meghan Markle Faces Backlash For Sharing New Video Of Archie And Lilibet Following School Security Scare
The former Suits actress, 45, shared a video of seven-year-old Archie and five-year-old Lilibet enjoying a walk along a tree-lined path on her Instagram Story on Sunday, October 11th.
In the short and, we must say, very sweet clip, Archie can be seen riding a scooter, while his younger sister walks nearby carrying a backpack. The family’s black Labrador, Pula, also makes an appearance in the video, while deer can be spotted in the background. Meghan added The Temptations’ “My Girl” as the soundtrack.
Although the video may have been intended as a short and sweet glimpse into the family’s new life in the U.K., some critics questioned the timing, particularly as it comes less than two weeks after the Sussexes criticized photographers who were reportedly spotted monitoring the grounds of Archie and Lilibet’s school.
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According to reports, two men carrying backpacks were seen walking around the school's perimeter and looking into the grounds, prompting concerns from school staff and the family's private security team. A spokesperson for Harry and Meghan described the incident as an "unacceptable intrusion into the privacy of children," and called the photographers' behavior "extraordinarily reckless."
The Spare author has long been vocal about protecting his children from unwanted media attention, having experienced intense media scrutiny alongside his older brother, Prince William, while growing up in the royal family.
Harry and Meghan have also reportedly disagreed over how much of their children's lives to share publicly, with Harry wanting to keep them out of the spotlight, and Meghan believing occasional appearances could benefit their public image and professional projects. The couple seemingly compromised by doing what many other A-listers do and showing Archie and Lilibet from behind or covering their faces with emojis.
Social Media Users Accuse Meghan Markle Of 'Double Standards' Over Children's Privacy
Royal commentator Richard Eden was among those to criticize Meghan's latest Instagram video, sarcastically writing on X: "Paparazzi caught intruding on Harry and Meghan’s privacy by taking photographs of their children on the way to school. Sorry, my mistake, it was posted by Meghan on her commercial Instagram account."
Eden's comment about Archie and Lilibet walking to school isn't necessarily accurate, as Meghan did not specify where they were going. Still, many social media users echoed his criticism of the video, with some accusing Meghan of using her children to attract positive publicity…
"Parading their poor kids as usual to get positive press. I’m waiting for that day when one of them write a book telling their story," slammed one X user. "She's desperate for attention," commented a second, while a third simply wrote: "Usual double standards." "Posting your own kids for engagement then crying paparazzi is crazy work," added a fourth. "Those kids are their cash cows," declared a fifth.
A sixth questioned the couple's ongoing security concerns, writing: "Without armed security? So many trees for a near catastrophic kidnapping attempt." "This negates every security ask they have. Now we know which backpacks to look for and everything. She is so dumb to think we don’t know what she’s doing," added a seventh.
"I thought Harry was dead set on not having his kids posted on social media but his wife seems to keep doing it. Can't be that fussed then. It's all attention seeking behavior anyway. Narcs." wrote an eighth. "Omg her poor children," commented a ninth, while a tenth wrote: "Grifters be Grifting."
"So, exploiting children’s images on social media is wrong, but showing only the backs of their heads makes it perfectly fine? Is that really their definition of protecting children’s privacy?" questioned an eleventh. "Everything Meg posts is deceptive," added a twelfth.
Other Social Media Users Defend Meghan Markle's Decision To Share The Video
Not everyone felt the same way, however, as several social media users defended Meghan's right to share footage of her own children, arguing that it was very different from photographers taking pictures without permission.
"She is revealing what she chooses to. Big difference than pap shots," wrote one supporter. "She is allowed to take photos of her children and do what she wants. Different issue if she was taking photos of other people's children," commented a second.
"The difference here is that Meghan is their mother, (sharing a video that carefully conceals their faces, by the way) and it is absolutely her choice. Paparazzi are not the children’s parents, are invasive and aggressive, and do not have consent to share their photos," argued a third.
"A mother taking a picture of her children & posting it, is vastly different to the press taking intrusive pictures & publishing them. It’s not difficult to understand the difference," added a fourth.
"This may be difficult for you to understand but Meghan can post what she wants on her Instagram. It's nobody's business," wrote a fifth. "Those are her children. That's her social media account. She can post them whenever she wants. She & Harry don't want the press and other strangers taking pictures/videos of their children. Would you want that for your children?" questioned a sixth.
