Timing is everything. Meghan Markle reportedly “really upset” Queen Camilla back in 2020 with the timing of an Instagram post. An insider claims the now-43-year-old went ahead with releasing photos, defying a request not to “overshadow” Camilla, who had an event the same day.
Meghan ‘refused to listen’ after being told not to publish Instagram post same day as Camilla’s speech
According to the Mirror, the Duchess of Sussex was asked to delay releasing photos from her March 5, 2020, visit to the National Theatre’s Immersive Storytelling Studio in London, England. Why? Because her March 5, 2020, post fell on the same day as a big event for Camilla.
On March 6, 2020, the then-Duchess of Cornwall delivered a speech at the annual Women of the World festival. Meanwhile, photos of Meghan went live on her and Princ Harry’s @sussexroyal Instagram account.
Despite being asked not to “overshadow” Camilla’s speech, an insider claimed Meghan “refused to listen” and insisted on having the photos published the same day. The post is still available. However, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stopped posting after they left royal life on March 31, 2020.
Queen Camilla | /Dave Benett/Getty Images
Meghan’s Instagram post made Camilla ‘very upset’
The insider continued, saying Meghan was accused of trying to “steal Camilla’s limelight” with the Instagram post, a move that made Queen Camilla “very upset.”
“Camilla’s work is very important to her,” the source said. “And her decision to highlight the scourge of domestic violence at the 10th anniversary of Women of the World was a carefully thought-out plan.”
“Of course, it was known Harry and Meghan would be doing engagements this week, some privately,” they went on. “But everyone was in agreement that Camilla’s speech should take precedence. Unfortunately, some people had other ideas.”
‘Overshadowing’ Queen Camilla and King Charles had been a problem before
Meghan Markle and Queen Camilla | Chris Jackson/Getty Images
In his 2023 Spare memoir, Harry recalled how “overshadowing” King Charles III and Queen Camilla had been an issue before, especially for his brother, Prince William, and sister-in-law, Kate Middleton.
The king and queen “didn’t want Willy and Kate getting loads of publicity.” Supposedly, they didn’t like it when the now-Prince and Princess of Wales took “attention away from them or their causes.” So much that “they’d openly scolded Willy about it many times.”
The king’s press team once “berated” William’s own upon learning Kate and the king both had appearances scheduled for the same day. The future queen’s visit went ahead as planned. Although her staff was warned that she shouldn’t be seen holding a tennis racquet.
“Such a winning, fetching photo would undoubtedly wipe Pa and Camilla off the front pages,” Harry said. “And that, in the end, couldn’t be tolerated.”
Later in Spare, Harry also shared his suspicions that King Charles didn’t want Meghan “grabbing the limelight” from him, hence his 2017 comment about there not being enough money for Meghan to leave acting.
