Meghan Markle is facing backlash after posting a photo featuring her daughter, Princess Lilibet, just hours before delivering a speech warning about the dangers of social media for children. The Duchess of Sussex attended a World Health Organization (WHO) event in Geneva over the weekend, where she called online safety for kids a major “public health issue.” But critics quickly pointed to an Instagram post shared the night before, accusing Meghan Markle of sending mixed messages.
Ahead of traveling to Switzerland, Meghan posted a mirror selfie to Instagram showing 4-year-old Lilibet standing at her feet inside what appeared to be a designer-filled wardrobe. The image, shared with Meghan’s 4.5 million followers, was captioned: “Mama’s little helper.”
The post immediately sparked criticism online and among royal commentators, with some questioning the timing of sharing an image involving her daughter before speaking publicly about children’s exposure to social media. Royal expert Tom Sykes, who attended the Geneva event, didn’t hold back in his criticism.
Royal Expert Calls Markle’s Post ‘Tone-Deaf’
Sykes accused Meghan of undermining her own message by sharing the image before taking the stage. “The hypocrisy is breathtaking. It is a boastful image. It is a vain image. It is a staggeringly tone-deaf image,” he said.
In his Substack, The Royalist, Sykes argued that the post contradicted Meghan’s public advocacy surrounding online safety. “Just hours before this vital event, Meghan chose to post a photograph of herself smirking as her four-year-old daughter, Lilibet, watched her try on outfits,” he wrote.
He continued, “Yes, a woman who is about to stand alongside the world’s most senior public health official and discuss the measurable, preventable harms of exposing children to social media has just exposed her own child to social media.”
Sykes later added, “The Geneva speech is the rhetoric. The closet photograph is the reality.”
The royal commentator also alleged the image showcased designer fashion worth an estimated $250,000, including what he claimed was a prominently displayed Armani coat.
Meghan Markle Faces Brutal Backlash Over Lilibet Post
Following Meghan’s speech in Geneva, social media users quickly flooded comment sections with criticism, with several accusing the Duchess of sending mixed messages by posting an image featuring Lilibet before speaking about the dangers of social media for children.
“I think we all know by now that she is a total hypocrite,” one critic wrote. Another commenter echoed similar frustrations, writing, “She has no idea of the mad hypocrite she is.”
Some reactions turned even harsher, with one person labeling Meghan a “complete delusional narcissist,” while another bluntly wrote, “Lecherous Narcissist.” Others criticized Meghan more broadly, with one user claiming, “She’s nothing more than a con woman.”
Meanwhile, another commenter added, “There is nothing smart or intelligent about this woman; she’s deceitful, false, and untrustworthy. These are the only traits she qualifies as.” Someone else chimed in with, “Wake me up when she’s been canceled.” Another wrote, “She’s so unlikeable and just plain weird and unsettling.”
But one comment didn’t hold back. “She just blows your mind! How can she be so tone deaf and so very hypocritical?” someone asked. You couldn’t make up some of the insane and crass things she’s done. And now she speaks at this forum hours after posting her daughter online?”
Markle Warns Children Are ‘Not Expendable’
During her appearance at the WHO event, Meghan spoke passionately about the risks social media poses to children and called for stronger global protections. “Our children are not products, they are not experiments and not expendable,” Meghan said during her speech.
The Duchess also criticized major tech companies, arguing that “The platforms value profit over people.” Meghan described online child safety as a “public health issue” while advocating for stronger measures to protect young users.
Meghan Markle Meets Families Impacted By Online Harm
Following the speech, Meghan Markle met with grieving parents who had lost children to online harm at a memorial event ahead of the 79th World Health Assembly.
Photos from the gathering showed the Duchess embracing emotional attendees and standing beside 50 illuminated light boxes honoring children remembered during the event. Meghan also greeted supporters, posed for selfies, and accepted gifts from children in attendance.
The memorial was partially funded through the charitable organization that Meghan and Prince Harry run together.
