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As a bona fide pop culture enthusiast, I haven\u2019t been able to avoid reading about the coming Australian \u201ctour<\/a>\u201d by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. The 44-year-old Californian remains one of the most polarising public figures of the modern era.<\/p>\n On balance, the reaction to her every action is incredibly visceral, from clumsily retaining the \u201cduchess\u201d title after actually stepping back from royal duties to the constant plethora of outsider narratives and thousands of self-styled opinions.<\/p>\n The optics haven\u2019t been great \u2013 who can forget the cringy Oprah interview<\/a>; the Markle family dynamic; the seemingly bland Netflix series<\/a> and docos (sorry, never watched); the personal reinvention to As Ever jam-maker and those pesky reports of behind-the-scenes friction? These are just a few things <\/a>that have shaped public perception.<\/p>\n For me, this isn\u2019t about taking sides \u2013 there are thousands doing that already \u2013 but rather unpacking the reasons why public opinion remains incredibly divided on the wife of the king of England\u2019s second son.<\/p>\n The intensity of feeling around her is unusual, even by royal standards. Few others attract such passionate loyalty and equally passionate irritation. The question isn\u2019t just whether people like or dislike her. The fascination isn\u2019t just about who she is, it\u2019s more about what she represents. To supporters, she embodies disruption: an outsider who entered an ancient institution, challenging hierarchy, racism and race identity, <\/a>mental health and autonomy. For them, her decision to \u201cstep away\u201d from royal life read as independence.<\/p>\n But to detractors, the same actions are landing differently. They see this same ambition being presented as altruism; the \u201crequested privacy\u201d while pursuing visibility seems inconsistent and odd. Retaining a royal title while rejecting royal constraints is a major bugbear for monarchists.<\/p>\n What fuels the divide is that both sides are interpreting the same limited material. That\u2019s why the reaction is so strong: she\u2019s a Rorschach test. People look at her and see completely different things.<\/p>\n Part of the friction lies in the reported narrative that Meghan arrived as an outsider: an actress, divorced, mixed-race, confident and ambitious and, for many, that felt refreshing. She was loved back in 2016. I remember being in London and covering the Harry and Meghan wedding in 2018 \u2013 live crosses, stories, social media grabs and radio interviews supplied to whoever wanted them. The city went gaga. (I\u2019ve got a H&M tea towel, teaspoon and mug to prove it.)<\/p>\n The monarchy had always been criticised for being an insular \u201cfirm\u201d, but when Meghan appeared \u2013 self-possessed, media-savvy and determined \u2013 it seemed reinvented and relevant. Initially, that confidence was interpreted as modernisation, and boy, many of us lapped it up.<\/p>\n But not so fast. It was a short-lived confidence that, in light of \u201cMegxit\u201d (circa 2020 and their move to the US), was quickly recast as calculation tinged with self-promotion. Her husband Harry also invited opprobrium and ridicule. But when it comes to vitriol, Mrs Harry seems to have borne the brunt.<\/p>\n Critics see their rejection of the royal institution as a petulant demonstration of ingratitude: biting the hand that fed them. Supporters see it as brave defiance: an attempt to drag the royals into the 21st century. But optics matter, and wanting a foot in both worlds is just indulgent.<\/p>\n Travelling their own path \u2013 once they\u2019d eschewed royal responsibilities \u2013 would have been a much cooler and classier path for them both.<\/p>\n There is also this issue of communication. Meghan tends to do it in big, elevated language, talking purpose, impact, philanthropy, compassion and global change. That style leans towards rah-rah Hollywood messaging, so what might feel normal in celebrity culture feels inflated when attached to jam, flower petals and candles.<\/a><\/p>\n Another factor is an often paradoxical \u201corigin\u201d story. Meghan is frequently framed as someone who \u201ccame from nothing\u201d. Sure, that narrative is compelling, but she didn\u2019t exactly grow up in public housing<\/a> (like this humble writer), so that also often invites scrutiny.<\/p>\n![\"Meghan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/794d3e38a0c734f60e37db799a4006b14b8d7cc6.jpeg\")
Meghan during her 2018 visit to Sydney. AP<\/p>\n![\"Meghan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1774869251_629_abb082bc9a2af6c2b15bff50d7f7c9770b34c977.jpeg\")
Meghan and Harry at a basketball game in California last month.Getty Images<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/976826e86c05c79ad68e4b8a69a04b88de6f3cd1.jpeg\")
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