This incident brings to mind a previous situation involving Meghan and Prince Harry, where they embarked on a PR campaign during the height of the pandemic. They had brought a photo crew to a U.S. military cemetery on Remembrance Day, seemingly in response to being denied the opportunity to lay a public wreath at an official Royal event in the UK.
During their recent tribute to the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks, Meghan and Harry took the unusual step of listing all 2,977 names of the people who lost their lives at the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and on United Flight 93. These names were displayed on the homepage of the Archule Foundation's website, titled "In Memoriam," to mark the 20th anniversary of this tragic event.
For those of us who vividly remember the sheer horror of that fateful day, with planes striking the towers, the fires, and the heartbreaking sight of individuals jumping to their deaths, it remains a deeply emotional memory. The sudden collapse of the towers and the heroic efforts of those trying to save lives in the midst of chaos still evoke strong emotions when we reflect on them.
However, Meghan's approach was different. Instead of offering a private prayer, she chose to insert herself into this tragedy by copying and pasting the victims' names from the internet onto her commercial website, using them to promote herself as a pious figure. This exploitation of the victims' names, which are typically reserved for respectful use in museums and monuments, was a deeply questionable act.
Traditionally, governments have the honor of representing the nations and, by extension, all of us when displaying these names. Meghan's actions showed a lack of understanding and respect for this tradition, seemingly driven by her desire to boost publicity for Archule and her personal brand.
What made matters worse was her demeanor at the September 11th Memorial with Prince Harry. While many remembered the solemnity of the occasion, Meghan was seen happily waving to the cameras and grinning broadly, even as someone photographed her. She seemed to be putting on a show when looking at the wreath, attempting to mimic Princess Diana's more somber expression.
Prior to this incident, she had attempted to insert herself into a Harlem school event and posed as a member of the British royal family when meeting with the New York City governor and mayor. Witnesses confirmed that these were PR stunts, and the following day, Meghan attended a charity event for wounded soldiers but managed to make it primarily about herself, with little acknowledgment of the sacrifices made by the soldiers.
While visiting a cemetery to pay respects is commendable, the constant need to document these actions with photographers and film crews raises questions about the authenticity of their motives. One can't help but wonder why everything they do is presented to the press through their publicity team.
Having parted ways with the royal family, Meghan and Harry now represent only themselves, and they should refrain from pretending to be government representatives. Remembrance days, observed by Commonwealth countries to honor those who died in battle, should not be exploited as PR opportunities.
Piers Morgan's criticism of their actions as outrageous and headline-grabbing is not unwarranted, especially when it detracts from the solemnity of the occasion and overshadows the duties of the true Royals back in the UK.
