Imitation is the best form of flattery, which seems to be something Meghan Markle understands. Since becoming the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan has faced heavy accusations of copying members of the British royal family. At first, it started off as fashion tributes to other royals like Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth. However, following her and Prince Harry’s exit from the royal family in 2020, eagle-eyed fans noticed the former actress gets more than just fashion inspiration from other royals. Here are five times Meghan Markle has been called out for copying her estranged in-laws.
1. Meghan Markle’s Moodboard or A Kate Middleton Inspo?
With her return to the everyday world after resigning as a senior working royal, Meghan announced the launch of a new brand, As Ever. Long before she met Prince Harry, she had a lifestyle blog called The Tig. Unfortunately, it had to shut down when things got serious. Hence, the news of As Ever excited her fanbase. Days before the launch, she shared a picture of her vision board on Instagram, offering glimpses into her lifestyle brand. The moodboard contained sentimental photos and handwritten notes showcasing her calligraphy skills, amongst other clippings. The center of attraction was a green-painted star artwork with her son Archie’s name written across it in his handwriting.
However, trolls soon pointed out that just a week prior, Kate Middleton had proudly shared portrait drawings done by her three kids — Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. “Don’t forget, the real reason she posted that was to show ‘Archie’s artwork’ since Catherine put out her kids’ artwork the other day,” one critic penned on social media. “She’s so predictable..as ever, a copycat,” another slammed.
2. Whose Beekeeping Is It?
Meghan Markle’s Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, didn’t escape the accusations of copying her sister-in-law. Episode one of the show opened with the Duchess trying her hand at beekeeping. It is one of the many hobbies she explored in the eight-episode show. It turns out, beekeeping is also one of Kate’s beloved pastime activities. The Princess of Wales is known for her love of beekeeping and has even made her own honey. On World Bee Day in May 2023, Kate shared a photo of herself tending to a beehive in Anmer Hall, Norfolk. Per reports, Kate isn’t the only royal member with a thing for bees. Queen Camilla is the president of Bees For Development, a charity that protects bee habitats in several countries.
3. Meghan’s Strawberry Jam vs. Buckingham Palace Preserve
Before settling for As Ever as the name for her brand, Meghan initially launched American Riveria Orchid in April 2024, teasing the release of a jam line through several of her Hollywood friends. Among them were Tracee Ellis Ross, Kris Jenner, and Chrissy Teigen, who all took to their Instagram pages to give the product a shout-out. However, on the same day of the coordinated publicity, Buckingham Palace shocked the world with a retort. The official Instagram page for the Buckingham Palace gift shop posted a reel, advertising their own jars of Windsor Castle strawberry preserve. The timing could not be more suspicious. Soon enough, Royal fans pointed out that the palace’s gift shop has been selling jams for years. One critic slammed in the comments, “Why buy an imposter when you can have the real royal strawberry jam!” It is also well known that the late Queen Elizabeth deeply loved the condiment, eating a jam sandwich every day of her life since she was five years old, per Daily Mail.
4. The Sussexes’ Balcony Photo Vs Buckingham Palace
Another copycat moment from the Duchess of Sussex occurred when her eldest son, Archie, turned six on May 6, 2025. Meghan shared a silhouette photo of the youngster to mark the special occasion. Archie was seen standing on a balcony and watching a vibrant orange sunset. His back was turned toward the camera. “Our son. Our sun. Happy 6th birthday to Archie! Thank you for all of the love, prayers, and warm wishes for our sweet boy,” Meghan proudly captioned the post. As expected, royal fans wasted no time pointing accusing fingers at the former Suits star. Just a day before, Prince William and Kate shared photos of their children on the Buckingham Palace balcony to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day. “Right after the other royal children were pictured standing on a balcony,” one eagle-eyed fan noted. “Does Meghan have no original ideas?” Another remark read.
5. Meghan Markle’s Tell-all Imitates Diana’s Tell-All Interview
Perhaps, Meghan’s biggest copycat moment came in 2020, shortly after Megxit. She and Harry sat down for a bombshell tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, exposing the dark side of the British royal family. It was a shocking moment, but not a surprise for royal fans who witnessed a similar occurrence 26 years ago. Two and a half decades ago, Princess Diana did the unprecedented, sitting for a tell-all interview, unsanctioned by the palace, with BBC journalist Martin Bashir. Although both women never met, they both used the same haunting language to describe the horrors suffered at the hands of the royal family. Both women confessed to struggling with self-harm and how the “institution” failed to protect them. It was eerily similar, sparking the question: was it pure coincidence or a pattern?
Undoubtedly, there seems to be proof of these accusations against Meghan. But could it be an intentional act on the duchess’s part, or a case where there is nothing new under the sun?
