In a move that has ignited a firestorm of controversy and speculation, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has once again found herself at...
In a move that has ignited a firestorm of controversy and speculation, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has once again found herself at the center of a media maelstrom after sharing a series of carefully curated Instagram posts from a recent family outing that conspicuously obscure the faces of her children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4, as well as her long-time friend and confidant, Markus Anderson. The decision to block out or hide their faces in these images has sparked intense scrutiny, with critics accusing the former royal of hypocrisy, manipulation, and exploiting her children and inner circle for publicity while cloaking her actions under the guise of privacy. This latest social media maneuver has only deepened the divide between Meghan’s supporters and detractors, raising questions about her motives and the authenticity of her carefully crafted public persona.
The Instagram posts in question, shared on June 6, 2025, depict a seemingly idyllic family outing to Disneyland to celebrate Princess Lilibet’s fourth birthday. The images and videos, captioned with a saccharine “Thank you
@disneyland
for giving our family two days of pure joy!” showcase Meghan, Prince Harry, and their two children enjoying rides, indulging in corn dogs, and marveling at a Little Mermaid-themed birthday cake. Yet, the most striking feature of these posts is the deliberate obscuring of Archie and Lilibet’s faces, with Meghan opting to cover them with heart emojis or capture them only from behind or at angles that conceal their identities. Similarly, Markus Anderson, a key figure in Meghan’s inner circle and a rumored linchpin in her social and professional networks, appears in the background of one image, his face blurred or turned away, rendering him unrecognizable to the casual viewer.
This calculated decision has unleashed a torrent of criticism, with detractors accusing Meghan of using her children and close associates as props in a carefully orchestrated publicity stunt while simultaneously claiming to prioritize their privacy. Former Tory MP Anna Firth, in a scathing rebuke, labeled Meghan’s actions as “clickbait,” accusing her of exploiting Archie and Lilibet to garner attention for her fledgling lifestyle brand, As Ever, and her Netflix series, With Love, Meghan. “If Meghan truly cared about protecting her children, why release these images at all?” Firth questioned, echoing sentiments shared across social media platforms like X, where users have decried the posts as “blurry, back-facing disasters that drip with manipulation.” Investigative journalist Tom Bower piled on, branding Meghan’s approach as “hypocrisy and crude profiteering,” arguing that her selective sharing of obscured images is a cynical attempt to maintain relevance while sidestepping accountability.
Critics have pointed to a pattern of behavior, noting that Meghan’s return to Instagram in January 2025 has been marked by a steady stream of posts featuring Archie and Lilibet, yet always with their faces hidden or obscured. From strawberry-picking outings to garden strolls and kitchen cameos, the Duchess has consistently shared glimpses of her children while ensuring their identities remain veiled—a tactic that some argue undermines her stated commitment to shielding them from public scrutiny. “If privacy is the goal, why post at all?” one X user demanded, while another speculated, “Are we all now ignoring Archie’s toe? The images look photoshopped, like she’s trying to stir up buzz without showing anything real.” These sentiments reflect a growing suspicion that Meghan’s posts are less about sharing authentic family moments and more about fueling engagement and speculation to boost her brand.
The inclusion of Markus Anderson in the Disneyland outing has only added fuel to the fire. Anderson, a high-ranking executive at Soho House and a long-time friend who reportedly facilitated Meghan’s introduction to Prince Harry in 2016, has been a fixture in her life for years. His absence from Meghan’s recent Netflix series and his obscured appearance in the Instagram post have raised eyebrows, with insiders suggesting that his reluctance to be in the spotlight may have clashed with Meghan’s apparent desire to leverage their friendship for public interest. “Markus has always been uncomfortable with the media glare, yet Meghan seems determined to drag him into her narrative,” a source close to Anderson told the Daily Mail. “Blurring his face feels like a half-hearted compromise—an attempt to have it both ways by including him without his consent.” This accusation has led to speculation that Meghan’s inner circle is growing wary of her media strategy, with some even suggesting that her friendship with Anderson has cooled due to her relentless pursuit of publicity.
Meghan’s defenders, however, argue that her decision to obscure faces is a necessary response to the intense and often hostile scrutiny she and her family face. Since stepping back from royal duties in 2020, Meghan and Harry have cited safety concerns as a primary reason for limiting public exposure of their children. A family friend told Us Weekly in August 2024 that the couple “can’t share their kids with the world” due to credible threats, a point underscored by Harry’s ongoing legal battle to secure police protection in the U.K. Supporters on X have praised Meghan for striking a balance between sharing her life and protecting her children, with one user writing, “She’s a mom doing her best in a toxic online world. Hiding their faces is about safety, not shame.” Others have pointed out that the blurred or back-facing images allow Meghan to connect with her audience while maintaining boundaries, a necessity given the “disgusting and very real” threats reported by the Metropolitan Police’s former head of counterterrorism in 2022.
The decision to obscure Anderson’s face has also drawn accusations of exploiting personal relationships for clout. Some speculate that Meghan included him to signal her continued ties to influential figures, yet blurred his face to avoid alienating him further, given reports of his discomfort with her public ventures. “It’s a power move,” one X user claimed. “She wants to remind everyone she’s connected to Soho House elite, but she knows Markus doesn’t want to be part of her circus.” This theory is bolstered by reports that Anderson was absent from Meghan’s Netflix series due to his busy schedule and aversion to the spotlight, suggesting a possible rift in their once-close friendship.
Perhaps most damning is the accusation that Meghan’s actions betray a deeper hypocrisy. While she and Harry have long championed online safety and privacy through their Archewell Foundation, critics argue that her Instagram strategy undermines these principles. “She talks about protecting kids from the dangers of social media, yet she’s the one posting their images for millions to dissect,” one commentator noted on X. The irony is particularly stark given Meghan’s comments to CBS News Sunday Morning in August 2024, where she emphasized the need to protect Archie and Lilibet, then aged 5 and 3, from the “toxic” online space. By sharing obscured images, Meghan appears to invite the very scrutiny she claims to abhor, leading to accusations that she is “scraping the barrel for sympathy and support from American mothers,” as Bower put it.
The controversy has also reignited debates about Meghan’s broader intentions. Is she genuinely trying to share her life as a mother and entrepreneur, or is this a desperate attempt to salvage her public image amid flagging business ventures? Her lifestyle brand, As Ever, has faced trademark setbacks and criticism for mimicking Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop, while her Netflix series has been met with lukewarm reviews. Some see the obscured images as a last-ditch effort to maintain relevance, with one X user sniping, “Lilibet is just a prop, Harry is relegated to a spare role, and Archie doesn’t even get a mention. It’s all about ME-ghan.” Others have gone so far as to question the authenticity of the children in the photos, with a Times of India report amplifying baseless claims that Meghan may be using “lookalikes” for publicity, further fueling the “digital firestorm” of outrage.
As the backlash intensifies, Meghan’s latest Instagram post has become a lightning rod for broader criticisms of her post-royal career. Her decision to block out the faces of Archie, Lilibet, and Markus Anderson has been condemned as a manipulative tactic that exploits her loved ones while failing to deliver the transparency she claims to value. Whether viewed as a protective measure or a cynical ploy, the move has only deepened the public’s fascination with—and skepticism of—the Duchess of Sussex. As one X user succinctly put it, “If you want privacy, keep them out of sight. This half-in, half-out game just screams desperation.” With each new post, Meghan walks a precarious tightrope, balancing her desire for privacy with her need for public relevance—a balancing act that, for now, seems only to invite further condemnation.
