Meghan Markle might have just hammered the final nail in the coffin for her UK return (Image: Getty)
Meghan Markle may have sealed her fate regarding a potential return to the UK after appearing to mimic Prince William in a move that can only be characterized as a major embarrassment for the Duchess of Sussex. Despite relocating to California with husband Prince Harry following their departure from the Royal Family, speculation had been mounting that she might eventually make her way back to the UK following the cancellation of her Netflix deal.
However, Meghan’s prospects of a warm welcome may have taken a significant hit – particularly after a “copycat” PR stunt she pulled last week. Following Prince William’s appearance on Amanda Holden’s Heart FM radio show, where he casually discussed his preference for spreading clotted cream on scones before jam, Meghan appeared eager to follow suit.
Within 24 hours, Meghan had posted her own scone recipe – revealing that she, too, favors the cream-first approach. This came after King Charles’ revealed his thoughts on his youngest son’s wife.
PR expert Chad Teixeira, founder of Chad Teixeira Media, exclusively told Express.co.uk: “There’s really no such thing as accidental timing with Meghan Markle anymore and we already suspect that every post is heavily curated, particularly when it taps into something emotionally British or linked to the Royal Family in some way.
“On the surface of this, it’s just a scone recipe, but from a PR perspective, the timing is what makes people pay attention. Posting it less than 24 hours after Prince William spoke about his own way of eating scones immediately creates comparison and conversation.
Prince William shared his recipe on Heart FM (Image: Heart FM)
“It would be impossible to ignore the timing and whilst I don’t think this is some huge orchestrated stunt, but I do think it’s strategic soft positioning. Meghan knows exactly what gets picked up online now, especially when it involves subtle overlaps with the royals,” reports the Express.
Chad added, “What’s interesting is that scones, afternoon tea, and cozy food content all sit firmly within that very traditional British identity. Meghan has spent years trying to reposition herself as a lifestyle figure through hosting, wellness, food and domesticity, so this fits neatly into that wider focus of As Ever but it does also cross over with the typical British image.
“The issue for Meghan here, is that the public now analyses almost everything she posts through a royal lens. Even something as harmless as a scone recipe suddenly becomes a talking point because people no longer see her content as casual or spontaneous.
“There does appear to be a wider effort to soften her image with UK audiences again. Food content is safe, nostalgic and emotionally familiar, which makes it one of the easiest ways to reconnect with people without directly addressing controversy.”
Meghan showed off her own scone (Image: As Ever)
He went on to say, “There will always be an ongoing narrative of whether Meghan and Harry will return to the UK, and whilst I don’t think this alone suddenly paves the way for a major UK return, but it absolutely shows she still cares about maintaining relevance and affection in Britain despite building her commercial life in America.
“One thing Meghan has consistently understood is the power of association, so whilst she may be creating distance from royal life publicly, she’s never fully stepped away from the cultural currency that comes with the Sussex name.
“We’ll probably continue to see these carefully timed moments where Meghan positions herself adjacent to the royal conversation without directly involving herself in it. It keeps her connected to that world while still protecting the independent lifestyle brand she’s trying to build.”
Yet not everyone is convinced – with some fans expressing outrage over what they describe as “copycat” behavior from Meghan.
One X user fumed, “Let’s address the elephant in the room. This is not about scones for her, this is about William. Well either William or Meg’s trying to get under Catherine’s skin by letting her know she watches news of William like a hawk.”
Another wrote: “I find it highly questionable that Meghan has ever made scones! The timing is unmistakable as it quickly followed Prince William’s interview on Heart radio. At this point, it’s ridiculous!”
A third user posted: “Copycat Markle is taking her obsession with the RF to the next level.”
The optics are difficult to ignore – Meghan clearly retains at least one eye on developments in the UK, despite her estrangement from the wider royal family. Sharing the recipe fewer than 24 hours after William publicly referenced it stretches the bounds of coincidence beyond reasonable belief.
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