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Meghan Markle Disneyland post of Archie, Lilibet, and As ever revamp is Duchess of Sussex ‘trying to market herself as American royalty’ | Opinion
OPINION – – To outsiders, she is like most proud mothers: she shares photos of her children online from special occasions.
But for royal spectators the Duchess of Sussex once again shows her critics exactly why she left the confines of the monarchy.
Meghan, who has never been one to follow the strict rules that come with working as a royal, posted six photos of her and Prince Harry’s recent trip to Disneyland with Prince Archie And Princess Lilibet.
Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland was along for the ride.
Since taking a step back from official duties in 2020the couple has chosen to eschew the time-tested royal tradition of sharing formal portraits to mark birthdays and other special events.
Instead, Meghan has taken to her personal Instagram to share more candid images of her family enjoying life in the United States.
“Once you get to know us, I think you’ll want us to have the same normality as parents and for our children that they do, despite how unique our situation is,” the Duchess previously said. People.
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Speaking about “day dates” with her children, Meghan added: “I think it’s really great that we can just have fun.”
This time it was a family day out at Disneyland in honor of Archie’s birthday (May 6) and Lilibet’s (June 4) and Mother’s Day.
Meghan’s photos showed her: Prince Harry and Ragland enjoy the California park and meet characters like Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella.
Archie and Lilibet were only shown from behind or from the side, as the Duchess is wont to do – obviously to protect their privacy.
Historically, Meghan and Harry have been too fiercely protective of their children’s privacyand cited it as one of their reasons for leaving Britain – and the fishbowl of royal life – for the US six years ago.
But since then returned to Instagram in January last yearMeghan has used social media to share carefully curated insights into family life.
And she’s not the only royal to do this
The Prince and Princess of Wales often share unseen family photos and short clips on their official Instagram account. Most recently, new portraits of Princess Charlotte And Prince Louis was released by Prince William and Catherine for the children’s 11th and 8th birthdays
But sometimes Meghan’s sharing ventured into oversharing… like when she posted that twerking video from the delivery room hours before Lilibet’s birth.
This time, Meghan’s family photo dump isn’t as intimate or controversial.
It’s just another example of the Duchess doing things her own way, a modern royal trying to make the most of her too. new life outside the monarchy.
Since returning to the social media platform in early 2025 after an eight-year absence, Meghan has been using Instagram to share her family moments the way she wants.
What was more interesting here, however, was the refresh of Meghan’s page, hours before the Disneyland post.
The Duchess has updated her profile picture, removing the simple and candid black and white photo taken on a local beach for a more polished and formal portrait showing her relaxing in a lounge.
What followed was a promotional video for Meghan’s lifestyle brand As ever, in which the duchess made tea, picked flowers and vegetables in her Montecito home, opened her pantry to find fruit spreads and marmalade and sat on her kitchen bench.
The clip is now the first thing visitors see on the As ever website, which has had a minor update.
Meghan is dressed from head to toe in designer clothes, some of which she has now shared on her One Off page, where fans can purchase the products while giving the Duchess a share of the profits via affiliate links.
In her new profile photo, the Duchess wears an $88,000 diamond tennis necklace from Logan Hollowell and her $12,000 Cartier love bracelet.
Meghan opted for her $18k Snowstorm diamond earrings from Birks she wore during her very first solo engagement as a member of the royal family.
Her pants from The Row cost $1,800. Other designer outfits Meghan wears in the short clip include a white Oscar de la Renta dress, $440 jeans from Montecito-based designer Tracy James Robbins and black Chanel flats.
She has left her former ‘girl next door’ image behind for a new look of sophistication and ‘old money’.
Some may argue that the Duchess is trying to market herself as American royalty.
Last week, Meghan was again caught using a royal cypher, an M with a monogram and a crown on it.
She sent Kris Jenner a load of As always goods for Mother’s Day and the Kardashian matriarch shared a photo on her Instagram to thank Meghan.
Among her and Prince Harry agreement with the late queen upon leaving the Royal Family, they would not use their titles, HRH style or royal connections for professional gain.
But the couple’s recent tour of Australia proved so resolutely ignore this directivewhere we carry out a route full of paid and charity events.
For Meghan’s fans, she can do no wrong and her latest foray on social media is just what they want from the Duchess.
But for loyal royalists, the Duchess is proving once again why she and Prince Harry made the right choice when they chose to move their lives from Britain to the US.
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