According to reports, Meghan Markle allegedly sparked tensions with Queen Camilla by releasing a set of photos that coincided with Camilla’s speech on domestic violence in March 2020. The photos, taken during Meghan’s visit to the National Theatre as its patron, were promptly shared on the Sussexes’ Instagram page the same day as Camilla’s speech.
Sources claim that Meghan insisted on publishing the photos immediately, despite requests to delay their release to avoid overshadowing Camilla’s important address. The photos depicted Meghan inspecting the theatre’s Immersive Storytelling Studio, showcasing her in a white blouse and pencil skirt.
Insiders allege that Meghan’s decision to upload the images on the same day as Camilla’s speech was deliberate, accusing her of trying to “steal Camilla’s limelight.” It is reported that senior royals had asked Meghan to postpone the release, but she “refused to listen,” leaving Camilla “very upset” as the photos potentially overshadowed her long-awaited domestic violence speech.
The commentary from royal expert Duncan Larcombe on Friday regarding the Duchess of Cornwall’s potential reaction to the photographs raises pertinent considerations. As he articulated to The Sun Online, “The ‘men in grey suits’ are assiduous in their efforts to circumvent diary clashes and the prospect of one member of the royal family overshadowing another on the same day.”
Larcombe asserted, “Camilla would be justified at being miffed, to say the least. However, as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex continue their endeavors without due regard for the remainder of the Royal family’s engagements, these types of ‘clashes’ are inevitable.”
The post, previously uploaded to the now-defunct account of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, was accompanied by a caption that read: “Yesterday, The Duchess of Sussex, Royal patron of the National Theatre, visited the Immersive Storytelling Studio in London, where emerging technology like Virtual Reality is being utilized to develop novel forms of emotive storytelling. Recently, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also visited Stanford University, where part of their learning journey encompassed a virtual reality presentation that enables the user to experience life through another person’s perspective.”
The endeavor of employing virtual reality technology to foster enhanced interpersonal connections and empathy transcending boundaries of race, age, or nationality is a commendable objective. The image depicts the Duchess alongside Nubiya Brandon and her hologram, a feature of the National’s exhibition ‘All Kinds of Limbo,’ currently on display at the esteemed Tate Modern.
While the image garnered substantial engagement, amassing over 50,000 likes, it elicited a diverse range of responses from social media users. Certain individuals expressed criticism, characterizing the Duchess’s presence as emanating a “bad vibe,” while others deemed her conduct as “cringey.” This incident occurred during the period when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex returned to the United Kingdom for a series of engagements prior to their formal departure from their roles as working members of the Royal Family.
