The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, has stepped back into the public eye to promote a new film project, just weeks after facing intense criticism for a controversial social media post.
Meghan was seen twice in 24 hours as she attended promotional screenings for Cookie Queens, a film associated with the Girl Scouts, which Meghan and husband Prince Harry are executive producers via their Archewell Productions company.. The Duchess was photographed interacting with Girl Scouts and filmmakers at both an indoor theatre event and an outdoor screening setup – with two very different outfits on show.
At the indoor event, Meghan wore a cream suit, with a wide, double-breasted blazer and a white t-shirt tucked into a pair of jeans (the fashion experts at Harpers Bazaar confirmed).
She participated in a Q&A session on stage alongside director Alysa Namias. Inside the theatre, she also raised a three-finger salute alongside a group of scouts. Additionally, she posed with attendees in front of the movie’s posters, ahead of an August 7 theatrical release.
During the Q&A, Meghan said: “We have an amazing team at Archewell Productions, and a lot of things come across the desk, but the team has such a good eye.
“We saw a very small teaser, but there was a clear inkling that this was going to be different — cinematic but also real and vulnerable. When we first met, I baked some cookies and brought them to the team, and we were all so enthusiastic. We were happy to join forces and support this project.”
For the outdoor screening, Meghan was dressed more casually in a brown top and white shorts. During this event, she was seen taking a group selfie with the scouts and smiling for photos with them.
The return to the spotlight follows a recent wave of backlash against the Duchess. Meghan recently drew ire after sharing a photograph on her Instagram account showing her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, at Althorp Estate, the childhood home and resting place of the late Princess Diana. The image, which featured Archie holding a bouquet of flowers, led to speculation that the family was visiting Diana’s grave.
The social media post was heavily criticised by royal columnist Maureen Callahan, who labeled the decision to publish the photo a “vulgar act” and described it as “callous”. Callahan suggested the photo might have been an “act of defiance,” pointing out that Prince William and Princess Catherine have never publicly shared images from their own family visits to Diana’s resting place. The incident reportedly left Prince William “fuming” over the public display.
Maureen Callahan, a Daily Mail columnist renowned for her insights on the British Royal Family, penned a blistering opinion piece about the incident.
“William and Catherine are decent, serious people who understand that some things are sacred,” Maureen wrote. “Diana was buried on that island, at her family’s private residence, precisely to keep her gravesite from becoming a circus, a tourist attraction, a commodity.”