Another Blunder for Meghan: Duchess Shared Picture of Herself Grinning Broadly as News of Andrew’s Ousting from the Royal Family Broke — Before ‘Quickly Deleting It’
Another royal headline, another Meghan Markle controversy. The Duchess of Sussex has found herself at the center of a fresh storm after reportedly sharing — and then swiftly deleting — a photograph of herself smiling broadly just as news broke of Prince Andrew’s official ousting from the Royal Family.
According to multiple royal commentators, Meghan, 44, had posted the image to her personal social media account, showing her outdoors, laughing and appearing relaxed. The post appeared within hours of Buckingham Palace confirming that Prince Andrew would be stripped of his remaining royal patronages and military titles, following mounting public pressure.
Eagle-eyed followers noticed the timing almost immediately, prompting a flurry of screenshots before the image was taken down. Critics accused the Duchess of being “tone-deaf” and “insensitive” in sharing a carefree image while the Royal Family was dealing with one of its most serious public relations crises in years.
“It was terrible timing,” one royal insider told The Mail on Sunday. “Whether intentional or not, it came across as gloating. Within minutes, the post was gone — but by then, everyone had seen it.”
The Duchess, who now lives in California with Prince Harry and their two children, has often been accused by the British media of misjudging tone and timing on social media. Supporters, however, insist the image was innocent — possibly scheduled in advance by her team or shared without knowledge of the developing news about Andrew.
Still, the backlash was swift. Online commentators drew comparisons to previous royal missteps, with hashtags like #MeghanBlunder and #RoyalTiming trending briefly on X (formerly Twitter). Some users speculated that Meghan’s post may have been intended to subtly distance herself and Harry from the scandal engulfing the Duke of York, who has faced years of scrutiny over his friendship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
“It’s easy to forget that she and Harry have made clear they want nothing to do with Andrew’s controversies,” royal biographer Sarah Hewson told GB News. “But even so, the optics were unfortunate. Smiling on the day your family is in crisis — even unintentionally — was bound to raise eyebrows.”
After deleting the image, neither Meghan nor her spokesperson offered any explanation or comment. Royal analysts note that the silence might be strategic, allowing the story to fade naturally rather than feeding further speculation.
Nevertheless, the incident highlights how even the smallest digital misstep from the Duchess can ignite headlines around the world. It also underscores the widening gulf between the Sussexes’ carefully curated public image in the U.S. and the traditional expectations of discretion associated with the British monarchy.
For Buckingham Palace, the focus remains on containing fallout from Prince Andrew’s removal from royal duties. For Meghan, however, this moment serves as another reminder that — no matter how far she is from the palace walls — every post, picture, or smile is still seen through a royal lens.
