From Crown to Cringe: Meghan Markle’s New Era Is Not the Reset She Thinks It Is

By Sara Alba, Editor-in-Chief, Brewtiful Living

Published: June 5, 2025

When You’ve Been Given a Kingdom But Still Choose Instagram

Let’s start with the facts. Meghan Markle was handed a real-life fairy tale. The palace. The global platform. The Vogue guest editorship. And somehow, in less than five years, we’ve gone from the gravity of royal responsibility to Meghan Markle posting a “Baby Momma Dance” labor video on Instagram as part of a brand campaign.

Yes, you read that right. A woman who once told Oprah she left royal life in pursuit of privacy is now uploading highly produced reels of her maternity journey—complete with Prince Harry awkwardly bopping in the background like a man who wasn’t quite briefed.

The internet called it cringe. I call it tragic.

The Duchess of Privacy™ Has Entered Her Influencer Era

In the now-infamous reel, Meghan is shown heavily pregnant in a hospital gown, dancing to the “Baby Momma Dance” song while cradling a conspicuously shaped baby bump. Prince Harry stands behind her, bopping along like he just lost a bet. The whole thing is filmed in a hospital room in 2021 and was uploaded to social media three years later—unprompted, unexplained, and completely out of nowhere.

And yes, this is the same couple who claimed to be escaping the royal family in pursuit of privacy. They left the palace but kept the cameras rolling.

What started as a break from the monarchy has slowly become a reality show without a network. The latest episode? Meghan Markle starring in her own maternity TikTok with what looks like a prosthetic belly and a deeply confused husband in the background.

Performative Intimacy Isn’t Authenticity

Let’s be clear. Sharing private footage isn’t the issue. It’s the why and the when. The video was shot in 2021. It wasn’t spontaneous. It wasn’t shared in real time. It was carefully selected, edited, and released four years later as soft PR for a company that sells fruit preserves and monogrammed dog treats.

This isn’t transparency. It’s timing. And in Meghan’s case, the timing always benefits her brand arc.

You can’t claim the moral high ground on media intrusion while simultaneously producing your own mini-documentaries and hollow reality TV segments designed to control the narrative. That’s not authenticity. That’s narrative laundering.

A Brand in Crisis Disguised as a Comeback

This latest push isn’t just about promoting a business. It’s about salvaging relevance.

Since exiting the royal family in 2020, Meghan has had deal after deal collapse, from Spotify to planned animated series. And every time one fails, the PR engine revs louder. The labor room video is just the newest installment in a long saga of strategic overshares, curated vulnerability, and performative wellness.

But here’s the truth: if you have to explain the authenticity of your brand, it’s already gone.

The Unraveling of the Meghan Myth

There was a moment—brief, golden, post-Megxit—when Meghan could have gone full Grace Kelly. An elegant retreat. A dignified silence. The illusion of privacy while doing impactful work behind the scenes.

Instead, she went full content creator. And while there’s nothing wrong with influencers, there’s a staggering dissonance between what she says she wants and what she actually does. It’s whiplash storytelling. One moment she’s a victim of the tabloids. The next, she’s curating a birth video montage with iMovie transitions and Harry as background actor.

It’s no wonder people are confused. As I wrote before, nothing about this rebrand lands.

Harry, Still Stuck in the Background

And what about Harry? The man who walked away from the only institution he ever knew, in the name of love, freedom, and family. You can see the unease on his face. It’s not the first time I’ve said it—read the open letter—but it bears repeating.

This isn’t the life he envisioned. You don’t trade a monarchy for a mini-series of your partner’s personal projects without losing a bit of yourself in the process. He looks like a man wondering if there’s a refund policy for life choices.

The Tragedy of Wasted Potential

Meghan Markle could have created a legacy based on strength, strategy, and silence. Instead, she’s choosing syrupy self-exposure wrapped in the illusion of empowerment.

This isn’t feminist. It’s fragile. And the people cheering it on don’t realize they’re applauding a woman unraveling her mystique for the algorithm’s approval.

Once upon a time, she had the world’s attention. Now, she’s just another public figure chasing clicks. Not because she has to—but because she doesn’t know how not to.

Final Thoughts

A woman can want privacy and still share. But what Meghan Markle has built isn’t about balance. It’s about optics. And if this is her comeback story, it’s missing the plot.

The brand has no spine. The messaging has no depth. The product is polished, but the story is hollow.

And for someone who once stood beside the Crown, that’s not just a misstep. It’s a collapse.

About the Author

Sara Alba is a Canadian writer, editor, and unapologetic culture critic. She’s the voice behind Brewtiful Living, a site dedicated to unpacking modern absurdities with sharp takes and sharper coffee. Her opinion pieces have dissected everything from Meghan Markle’s failed rebrands to the emotional politics of getting your nails done wrong. When she’s not writing, she’s lurking in the comment sections, watching the downfall of celebrity PR machines in real time. You can follow her work here.