Meghan Markle has once again found herself at the center of controversy following a scathing Vanity Fair profile that describes her behavior as akin to a “Mean Girls teenager.” The article details allegations of coldness, bullying, and manipulative tendencies toward staff, accusations that echo earlier claims from her time at Kensington Palace.
According to Vanity Fair, Meghan initially presents as “warm and effusive” toward staff but reportedly becomes “cold and withholding” when things go awry, often due to the demands she and Prince Harry make.
One media source claimed, “She’s constantly playing checkers—I’m not even going to say chess—but she’s just very aware of where everybody is on her board.” The source added, “And when you are not in, you are to be thrown to the wolves… It’s talking behind your back. It’s gnawing at your sense of self. Really, like, Mean Girls teenager.”
Despite these damning allegations, Meghan’s former colleagues have offered mixed accounts. Producer Jane Marie, who worked on Archewell audio projects, described Meghan as “a lovely, genuine person.”
Similarly, staff loyal to the Sussexes have previously defended them, highlighting thoughtful gestures such as gifting baby clothes and care packages. Archewell’s former PR chief, Ashley Hansen, even praised the couple’s concern during her recovery from surgery, saying they showed “the kind of care a parent would express if it were their own child.”
However, the accusations paint a less flattering picture. Former employees have reportedly sought therapy after their experiences with Meghan, describing a toxic work environment. These claims, coupled with a Hollywood Reporter article branding Meghan a “dictator in high heels,” threaten to tarnish her carefully cultivated public persona as a warm and philanthropic figure.
Royal author Tom Bower labeled the Vanity Fair revelations “devastating,” particularly given Meghan’s attempts to reshape her image through projects like her upcoming Netflix series, With Love, Meghan.
Critics have dismissed the cookery show’s trailer as “saccharine and silly,” with one commentator speculating that the streaming giant might reconsider its release.
Prince Harry has not escaped scrutiny either, with the article portraying him as “lost, out of his depth, and naïve.” Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams warned that their reputation in the U.S. could suffer further damage, particularly as the couple continues to face backlash over their past projects, such as their 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview and 2022 Netflix docuseries.
Adding to the drama, Meghan and Harry recently made headlines for their response to the catastrophic California wildfires. While the couple donated to relief efforts and opened their Montecito mansion to evacuees, their actions were labeled by some as opportunistic. Actor Jason Bateman criticized their involvement as a “photo op,” referring to them as “disaster tourists.”
Amid these challenges, Meghan’s postponement of With Love, Meghan has drawn skepticism. Some wonder if the delay is less about sensitivity to wildfire victims and more about a lack of commercial viability. As one royal source noted, “Would people really want to watch a glossy TV show about someone’s luxury lifestyle when thousands of Americans have seen their homes and lives destroyed?”
The Vanity Fair piece concludes with a sobering assessment: both Meghan and Harry appear “out of their depth” in the world of showbiz. With their public image under increasing strain, critics argue that the couple has a long way to go in regaining public trust. Whether their attempts at philanthropy and rebranding will succeed remains an open question.