Meghan Markle’s surprise appearance in France over the weekend for Paris Fashion Week was brutally savaged by a PR expert, who blasted the Duchess for her “ego blindness”. The Duchess of Sussex made two appearances in the French capital on Saturday, first attending the Balenciaga Women’s Wear Spring/Summer 2026 collection before heading to its afterparty.
A spokesman for Meghan said that her surprise trip was to support Pierpaolo Piccioli, who recently assumed the role of creative director for the house, in what “marks her first time back to the shows in over a decade”. But her appearance was largely criticised, particularly after she uploaded a video on her Instagram, showing her feet up on the leather interior of a limo close to the Paris tunnel where Princess Diana died in a car crash in 1997.
Now, a PR expert had weighed in on Meghan’s outing, describing it as a “missed opportunity” that could have boosted her brand, but was eventually let down by her “terrible” decisions.
Renae Smith, founder of The Atticism, told the Express: “Honestly, none of this [backlash over video] surprises me anymore. If she was my client, today I would have quit. This is just too much – it shows complete inability to grow as a person.
“As we know, Meghan has an incredible ability to turn neutral moments into controversy. The video near the tunnel where Diana died was a terrible decision from a PR perspective.”
Ms Smith added that Meghan’s video was not “just tone-deaf,” but “strategically reckless” too.
She blasted: “She has to know how symbolic that location is, so doing a posed video there just looks self-serving.
“From a PR standpoint, this is another example of ‘ego overriding strategy’.”
The PR expert said Paris could have provided a golden opportunity for the Duchess to align her image with her brand narrative, but instead, it turned out to be a major flop.
“The Paris appearance could’ve been a subtle realignment moment, controlled visuals, refined styling, maybe a single polished brand partnership. Instead, she leaned into performance. This was yet another missed opportunity to reset her brand through grace and restraint.
“Psychologically, I don’t think it’s arrogance as much as ego blindness. She doesn’t seem to grasp social cues or understand when to step back. From a PR perspective, restraint would be the most powerful rebrand she could do right now. If you ask me, she doesn’t need reinvention as much as she just needs some bloody restraint.”
Meanwhile, Lee Cohen, a US-based columnist/royal and foreign policy commentator, was also critical of Meghan’s move, telling the Express: “This vile stunt exposes her as a desperate zero with the emotional depth of a puddle, clawing for likes while trampling on sacred memories.
“Pathetic doesn’t even begin to cover it—keep sinking lower, Meghan.”
Meghan’s spokesman said of the night: “This evening reflects the culmination of many years of artistry and friendship, reflected in her support for his new creative chapter at Balenciaga.”
