This incident harkens back to a previous situation when Meghan and Prince Harry embarked on an advertising campaign during the height of the pandemic. They took a series of photos at a U.S. military cemetery as a response to being denied the opportunity to lay wreaths at an official Royal event in England. This event was a memorial service for the victims of the September 11th, 2001 attacks.
During that service, Meghan and Harry took the unusual step of listing all 2,977 victims who perished at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and aboard United Flight 93 on the Archwell Foundation website. They titled the page "In Memory" to mark the 20th anniversary of this tragic event. For those of us who can vividly recall the horror of that fateful day, the images of planes crashing into towering buildings, fires raging, and the heart-wrenching sight of people leaping from buildings are etched in our memories.
The sudden collapse of the Twin Towers and the heroic efforts of first responders still bring tears to our eyes. However, Meghan chose not to offer private prayers but instead immersed herself in the tragedy. She seemingly copy-pasted the names of the victims from the internet into her commercial website, using them to promote herself as a pious figure. This exploitation of the names of victims, often reserved for respectful use in museums and monuments, raises serious ethical questions.
Governments typically bear the responsibility of representing the nation and its people when displaying such names. Meghan and Harry's actions demonstrated a lack of understanding and respect for this tradition, driven by their desire to increase promotion for Archwell and their personal brand. What exacerbated matters was their demeanor at the September 11th memorial service.
While many people remember the solemnity of the occasion, Meghan was seen happily waving at the camera, even grinning when someone took a photo of her. It appeared as though she was putting on an act as she gazed at the wreaths, seemingly attempting to mimic Princess Diana's mournful expression.
Prior to this incident, Meghan attempted to insert herself into a school event in Harlem and posed as a member of the British royal family when meeting with the governor and mayor of New York City. Witnesses confirmed that this was nothing more than a PR stunt. The following day, Meghan attended a charity event for wounded soldiers but primarily talked about herself, offering little recognition of the soldiers' sacrifices.
While her presence at the cemetery to pay her respects was commendable, the frequent documentation of these actions by photographers and film crews raises questions about the authenticity of their motives. One cannot help but wonder why everything they do is meticulously presented through their publicity team.
Since parting ways with the royal family, Meghan and Harry now solely represent themselves, and they should refrain from impersonating government representatives. Memorial Day is a solemn occasion organized by Commonwealth countries to honor the fallen heroes, and it should not be exploited for advertising opportunities.
Piers Morgan, among others, has criticized their actions, arguing that their headlines and excesses detract from the solemnity of such events and overshadow the duties of the officials who truly represent royalty in England.
