Meghan Markle Mocked with New ‘Private Citizen’ Moniker Following Buckingham Palace Clarification
Meghan Markle has found herself at the center of a fresh wave of online scrutiny after Buckingham Palace officially clarified her standing in the UK, prompting royal followers on social media to label her with a pointed new moniker. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex returned to the UK last month, six years after stepping back from royal duties to pursue financial independence in the United States.
To clear up public confusion regarding their constitutional role, Buckingham Palace’s senior-most household official, Lord Chamberlain Richard Benyon, issued formal correspondence to government departments and military bodies. The letter decisively noted: “In short, their position is akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests.” While a spokesperson for the Sussexes claimed they were “a little surprised not to have been told about this in advance,” palace insiders countered that the couple had received prior notification before the memorandum circulated.
The palace’s precise wording quickly spurred the viral hashtag #PrivateCitizenMeghanMarkle across X (formerly Twitter), where critics weaponized the phrasing to poke fun at the Duchess’s lifestyle branding and public image. Comments ranged from critiques of her curated persona to broad skepticism over her non-royal standing, with one user noting, “Always the coy forced smile with booze. #PrivateCitizenMeghanMarkle,” while another remarked, “Everything with #PrivateCitizenMeghanMarkle is subjective and open for interpretation.”
The viral backlash coincided with a new promotional push by Meghan’s lifestyle venture, As Ever, which shared entertaining tips accompanied by imagery of the Duchess in an apron, advising hosts to keep preparation seamless.
The advice arrives following the divisive critical reception of her 2025 Netflix culinary series With Love, Meghan.
Nevertheless, close confidantes such as Kelly McKee Zajfen have publicly defended the Duchess, emphasizing that her domestic return to the UK has been met with warmth and kindness from her intimate community circle.