Meghan Markle Slammed For ‘Embarrassing’ Detail in New Year’s Day Video

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As we previously reported, Meghan Markle unexpectedly returned to Instagram on New Year’s Day.

The Duchess of Sussex posted a video in which she could be seen exuberantly running on a beach and scrawling “2025” in the sand with her finger.

Meghan then shot a quick smile at the camera before frolicking away, presumably in the direction of her next carefree adventure.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex attends the 2024 Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) Gala at L.A. Live Event Deck Top Floor Of The West Lot on October 05, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

It was Meghan’s first social media post since 2020, and it was clearly intended to convey that she’s living her best life, with no concern for what the haters have to say.

But as a handful of eagle-eyed haters have noted, the moment might not have been as fun and spontaneous as it initially appeared.

Meghan Markle’s Second Take

Meghan didn’t allow comments on the post (which was probably the right decision), but elsewhere on social media, countless users pointed out what appears to be evidence of multiple takes.

As Page Six points out, “2025” appeared to have already been written in the sand before Meghan made her gleeful approach to the water’s edge. The numbers can be seen written in the sand in the bottom left corner.

Of course, it’s possible that this was a group outing, and one of Meghan’s kids also decided to celebrate the new year by leaving a temporary mark near the shoreline.

But that possibility didn’t stop critics from bashing Meghan’s video as “lame” and “embarrassing.”

There was a time when the Duchess of Sussex likely would have just shrugged off such criticism.

But these days, Meghan is in the midst of a PR crisis, and she’d probably prefer to avoid any further setbacks.

Meghan’s Rebranding Effort

In 2024, Meghan and Harry embarked on a “professional separation” by going solo at far more public events than in previous years.

The decision to change course may have been prompted by a string of failed projects and polls that showed the couple’s popularity declining rapidly.

It’s too soon to say if the gambit paid off. Now, as we enter 2025, Meghan will face several more PR hurdles, including the long-awaited launch of her American Riviera Orchard lifestyle brand.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attend the 2022 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Gala at New York Hilton on December 06, 2022 in New York City.

And according to royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams, the duchess’ Instagram return is part of a calculated effort to boost her brand.

“Meghan’s intention in the video is to look relaxed, confident and, above all, symbolize the freedom they claim they have found. At the moment, interest in the Sussex brand remains enormous,” he recently told The Daily Mail.

“If their multimillion-dollar Netflix deal is not extended this year, it would be a disaster for them,” he added.

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex speak on stage at the "Friends @ Home Event" at the Station Airport during day three of the Invictus Games DÃ¼sseldorf 2023 on September 12, 2023 in Duesseldorf, Germany.

PR expert Nick Ede took a less cynical view of Meghan’s latest venture.

“Meghan has returned to social media, and this is a great way of authoring her truth,” Ede told the Mail.

“She will be looking at 2025 as the year she reinvents herself and owns who she is. Using social media as a platform to express her personality and own her narrative is a positive step for her.”

Meghan was a social media star before she and Harry stepped away from Instagram in 2020. And if the early success of her new account is any indication (she’s already racked up nearly 900,000 followers), she’ll have no trouble recapturing her former glory.

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