Meghan Markle has reportedly sparked frustration from Prince Harry over her latest move, with sources claiming it has raised concerns about “blurring the lines between philanthropy and personal profile.”
The Duchess of Sussex, who was under fire for promoting outfits linked to a hospital visit in Melbourne, has now sparked fresh controversy.
Ahead of the Sussexes’ April trip to Australia, representatives said the visit would include both charitable engagements and commercial activities, drawing renewed scrutiny over the overlap between the two.
Despite the criticism, Meghan Markle has reportedly continued promoting outfits she wore to the Invictus Games, with reports claiming she earned a commission from sales.
The move has drawn attention as Prince Harry continues promoting the 2027 Games in Birmingham.
Meghan Markle faced Backlash ahead of UK Trip
As per Heat Magazine, a source shared that her move has sparked backlash, with critics claiming it amounts to profiting from an event supporting war veterans’ futures.
An insider said, “She’s blurring the lines between philanthropy and personal profit. If the money she made was going back to Invictus there'd be no questions asked, but the money is going into her account and that is absolutely raising eyebrows – it’s seen as very bad form.”
The tipster revealed, “Invictus is about Veterans, raising money for men and women who have given these huge sacrifices and lost so much; people are saying how tone deaf it is for her to be profiting off it, even tangentially.”
Prince Harry finds difficult to defend Meghan Markle’s latest move
It is reported that Harry wanted to continue to support his wife but he is finding Meghan’s latest cash-in “difficult to defend.”
“Harry is always going to defend Meghan publicly but it’s no secret this is making him deeply uncomfortable, the last thing he needs is even a whiff of impropriety at such a sensitive time,’ the source said.
The insider shared, “Harry and Meghan have very different reactions whenever they’re faced with this sort of public controversy. Harry’s instinct is always to worry about appearances and reputational damage. He will hate the idea of the conversation becoming about Meghan’s wardrobe or social media strategy but he’s also not going to want to be seen as being an unsupportive husband.”
The reaction appears to be authentic, with Invictus supporters questioning Meghan’s involvement in monetising aspects of an event funded by taxpayers, sponsors and donors.
The insider said, “For Meghan it’s ludicrous to accuse her of profiting off the games when all she’s doing is sharing various looks she’s worn over the years with affiliate links. To her this is yet one more case of things being overblown in this endless witch hunt and she doesn’t feel it’s worth a moment’s energy.”
Harry’s fear over this issue
The Duke of Sussex remains “highly sensitive” about certain issues, especially anything involving the Invictus Games, which remains one of his most valued projects and a rare source of public goodwill.
The source said, “The problem is that Harry is still highly sensitive when it comes to certain things, particularly anything related to Invictus. It’s one of the projects he cares about most and one of the few areas of his life that still enjoys widespread public goodwill.”
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle UK visit for Invictus Games
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set to return to the UK next month with their two children, Prince Archie, 7 and Princess Lilibet, 5.
The family is making the transatlantic trip from California to attend promotional events marking the "One Year To Go" countdown for the 2027 Invictus Games, which will be hosted in Birmingham.
