Meghan Markle has been labeled “hilariously egotistical and breathtakingly hypocritical” following a royal gesture that triggered outrage online.
The Duchess of Sussex is close friends with 70-year-old cosmetics mogul Victoria Jackson, who frequently invites her and her husband, Prince Harry, to stay at her various mansions.
Victoria, who has reportedly criticized the British royal family, referred to Meghan as her “safe harbor” in 2021.
The beauty mogul recently invited Meghan to be interviewed for Harper’s Bazaar at one of her properties.
Meghan Markle is facing backlash for reminding a journalist in the United States of her royal title
Image credits: Leigh Vogel/Getty Images
According to the Harper’s Bazaar article, a house manager announced “Meghan, Duchess of Sussex” when introducing her when she arrived.
“We’re in a grand brownstone on the Upper East Side that belongs to one of Meghan’s friends,” reporter Kaitlyn Greenidge wrote in the story.
Meghan was recently interviewed at the Upper East Side home of cosmetics mogul Victoria Jackson
“When I enter, the house manager announces, ‘Meghan, Duchess of Sussex,’ even though we appear to be the only other two people in the house.”
In response to the moment, which took place last month, journalist Jane Moore slammed the As Ever founder for clinging to her royal title and privileges years after making bombshell accusations of racism against her in-laws.
“Both hilariously egotistical and breathtakingly hypocritical considering she and Prince Harry have repeatedly criticised the Royal Family that bestowed the ‘Sussex’ title on them,” Moore wrote in an opinion column.
She noted that the “multi-million-dollar home of cosmetics tycoon Victoria Jackson is available to Meghan at all times,” and that it was where she “was announced by her full title as she entered the room of, er, one.”
“The Sussexes supposedly ‘Megxited’ from the UK five years ago for a life of ‘financial independence’, yet they continue to rinse their royal connections for their own commercial gain,” Moore continued.
Journalist Jane Moore called Meghan a “hypocrite” for continuing to “rinse her royal connections” for her own benefit
Meghan and Harry stepped down as working royals in January 2020 and moved to the Duchess’s native Southern California.
The With Love, Meghan star reportedly spent her 41st birthday at Victoria’s ranch near Santa Barbara, which is larger than her and Harry’s Montecito home and better suited for security.
She previously corrected Mindy Kaling, one of her guests on her Netflix lifestyle show, after Mindy referred to her as “Meghan Markle” multiple times.
“It’s so funny, too, that you keep saying Meghan Markle. You know I’m Sussex now,” she clarified.
The Montecito resident told People magazine that the Sussex name is a meaningful part of her and Harry’s “love story.”
Meghan and Harry participated in a charity event with their children to help those experiencing food insecurity in Los Angeles
The couple recently brought their two children, Archie and Lilibet, to a volunteering event organized by the Sussexes’ Archewell Foundation and Our Big Kitchen Los Angeles (OBKLA), a nonprofit that provides meals for those experiencing food insecurity in Los Angeles.
Pictures posted on the Archewell Foundation website showed the children, ages 6 and 4, rolling balls of dough with their parents, their faces not visible in the shot.
“Show up, do good,” the former Suits actress captioned a photo of herself smiling at Harry during the charity event.
She previously told the Aspire podcast about the importance of keeping her children down-to-earth.
Meghan explained that it’s “really important” that the “privileged” siblings understand “the value of things.” For instance, she uses gardening as an activity to teach her children patience and to “appreciate their food.”
Meghan and Harry stepped down as working royals to move to California in 2020
Image credits: Fuzheado/Wikimedia
The 44-year-old has been sharing more photos and videos of Archie and Lilibet since launching her As Ever brand and debuting With Love, Meghan earlier this year. She had deactivated her Instagram account in 2020 before returning in 2025.
A source told Page Six that Harry “doesn’t love the social media displays.”
In other Harry and Meghan news, the couple attended Kris Jenner’s 70th birthday party, held at Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez’ Beverly Hills home earlier this month.
The Kardashians had posted a few photos from the event that showed the pair posing with Kim and Kris, but the reality stars later deleted the photos from their social media posts.
“The title matters to her. It always has,” commented one critic
