Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Lack Authenticity Says Critic

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the Ms. Foundation Women of Vision Awards: Celebrating Generations of Progress & Power on May 16, 2023. — (Image credit: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images Ms. Foundation for Women)

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry recently completely a royal tour of Colombia. During the visit, Meghan revealed that Princess Lilibet has found her voice, and the couple engaged in some salsa dancing. The Duchess of Sussex also paid homage to Colombian designers with her wardrobe choices, and the pair got the chance to play drums during a school visit.

However, following their successful royal tour, critics of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have emerged. During an appearance on The Sun's Royal Exclusive show, author Robert Jobson discussed Meghan and Harry's recent engagements in Colombia. "It wasn't just fast and loose with the truth, a lot of it was complete baloney," Jobson told the publication.

He continued, "They tried to give it an impression of a quasi-royal tour, they had elements of politics and elements of caring for young kids." The royal author also questioned the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's motives, saying, "At the end of the day what I don't understand is, if Meghan and Harry wanted to do 'quasi-royal tours' why not stick around and do it properly."

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex seen at the Unidad Recreativa El Vallado on August 18, 2024 in Cali, Colombia. — Meghan Markle and Prince Harry dancing in Cali, Colombia, on August 18, 2024.

Arguing that the Sussexes should have remained senior royal family members in the U.K., Jobson explained, "Then they would have been doing it for the King and the country which is what Harry always bangs on about."

Jobson decided to interrogate the couple's authenticity, suggesting that their tour of Colombia was questionable. "Just do things that are authentic, and just do things that are real rather than staged with loads of outfit changes," he told the outlet. Jobson also had a suggestion for the couple's future, saying, "I think they could just do some real work in America maybe and people will start to believe you."

Meghan Markle wearing a green and white drop-waist dress in Colombia August 2024 — Meghan Markle wearing a green and white drop-waist dress in Colombia.

Despite being criticized by some royal experts, Meghan and Harry's tour of Colombia appears to have made quite an impact. On the final day, the couple attended the Petronio Alvarez Festival, which was held at the Unidad Deportiva Alberto Galindo in Cali, Colombia. The event paid tribute to Afro-Colombian heritage, and the Sussexes were included in the celebration as special guests. For her appearance at the prestigious event, Meghan wore a dress by Colombian designer Andrés Otalora, which she paired with $550,000 earrings.

TOPICS

Amy Mackelden is the weekend editor at Marie Claire, where she covers celebrity and royal family news. She was the weekend editor at Harper’s BAZAAR for three years, where she covered breaking celebrity and entertainment news, royal stories, fashion, beauty, and politics. Prior to that, she spent a year as the joint weekend editor for Marie Claire, ELLE, and Harper's BAZAAR, and two years as an entertainment writer at Bustle. Her additional bylines include Cosmopolitan, People, The Independent, HelloGiggles, Biography, Shondaland, Best Products, New Statesman, Heat, and The Guardian. Her work has been syndicated by publications including Town & Country, Good Housekeeping, Esquire, Delish, Oprah Daily, Country Living, and Women's Health. Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, the cast of Selling Sunset, Emma Thompson, Jessica Alba, and Penn Badgley. In 2015, she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium, the world's first Kardashian conference.