In the wake of the devastating knife attack in  Southport, England that left two children dead and nine others injured, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been accused of shamelessly exploiting the tragedy to further their own narrative about the supposed lack of safety in the United Kingdom. According to reports, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have remained silent on other tragedies affecting marginalized communities, but have been quick to seize upon the Southport incident as a means of bolstering their claims that the UK is an unsafe environment for them and their children.

Their actions have rightly drawn significant criticism from commentators and the British public. “It’s absolutely disgusting that Meghan and Harry would use the deaths of innocent children to score political points,” said royal commentator Nigel Farage. “They’ve shown a complete lack of empathy and compassion, and it’s clear that their only concern is promoting their own agenda.”

While any tragedy that claims innocent lives is undoubtedly horrific, critics have noted that the  Southport attack appears to have been an isolated incident carried out by a single disturbed individual. In reality, the United Kingdom has historically low rates of violent crime compared to other developed nations. According to statistics, the chance of being the victim of a violent crime in the UK is relatively small.

However, Meghan and Harry seem intent on painting the entire country as some sort of violent war zone to suit their own purposes. As political analyst Samantha Markle, Meghan’s estranged half-sister, observed: “They’re exploiting the suffering of these children for their own selfish purposes and it’s absolutely sickening.”

Their apparent lack of concern for other violent incidents that have claimed lives in marginalized communities, such as attacks affecting the indigenous Baka people, has not gone unnoticed. “The Sussexes are being selective in their outrage, choosing to focus only on incidents that fit their pre-determined narrative while ignoring similar tragedies affecting other groups,” noted royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams.

Media personality Piers Morgan echoed this sentiment, stating: “It’s clear that Meghan and Harry are more interested in promoting their own brand than in actually addressing real issues in the world. They’re willing to leverage tragic events simply to further their own agenda, and that should be condemned.”

British citizens have also voiced their outrage over the couple’s conduct. As one Twitter user argued, “They’re using the deaths of these children to push a political viewpoint. It’s a complete betrayal of the victims and their families.” Another commented: “Meghan and Harry have shown no real empathy or care for the suffering of others. All that matters to them is making themselves look good in the media.”

Despite facing a growing backlash, the Sussexes have stood by their stance. A spokesperson claimed they are “deeply saddened” by the  Southport tragedy and stand with the victims. However, given their apparent willingness to cynically exploit the incident to attack perceptions of safety in the UK, many doubt the sincerity of this statement.

As royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams observed, “Their actions are a slap in the face to the victims and their loved ones. To leverage such a human tragedy simply to further critiques of Britain is callous and condemnable.” Even if Meghan and Harry avoid official censure for their conduct, it seems clear their shameless co-opting of this atrocity has alienated many both in Britain and beyond.

As the fallout continues, questions linger over what, if any, consequences the Sussexes may face. Some have called for the couple to issue a formal apology to the  Southport community for politicizing their grief. However, whatever occurs, one thing is certain – Meghan and Harry’s blatant exploitation of this tragedy to fit their predetermined narrative has drawn widespread and justified criticism from people across the political spectrum. Their apparent lack of genuine empathy or care for the real suffering of others will not be easily forgotten.