Meghan Markle was defended by a Hollywood star after the Duchess’s latest video sparked controversy online. The Duchess of Sussex marked her daughter, Princess Lilibet’s fourth birthday on Wednesday by posting a series of new snaps and a new video on her social media.
Meghan’s video showed her flaunting her dance moves while pregnant in hospital alongside Prince Harry, shortly before Lilibet’s arrival. At the time of Princess Lilibet’s birth on June 4, 2021, the song in Meghan’s video –Starrkeisha’s The Baby Momma Dance – became a viral challenge on TikTok, with thousands of expectant mothers showcasing their moves.
However, the Duchess’s tribute to her daughter did not please the majority of fans and royal watchers, who roasted the video online and described it as “cringe”.
Others accused her of her bump not looking real and questioned her athletic performance while nine months pregnant.
But a Hollywood star came out to Meghan’s defence after she blasted those criticising her.
US TV start and singer Candiace Dillard took to her social media to slam people for their “misogynoir” attacks against the Duchess
She reposted a tweet on X which read: “No woman 9 months pregnant moves that way. And that belly is lumpy and Meg moves it around like a sack of jelly beans.
“Where is the uncomfortable mom-to-be? Because this woman has no clue what it feels like to be in labor or even induced. Induced moms are nervous about the pain!”
Ms Dillard said: “Actually, at 9 months pregnant, I was leg pressing three times my weight, doing pull ups twice my weight and walking several miles on a treadmill so stfu and just say you hate that a Black woman married a white prince.”
She also took to her Instagram account to post a video of herself in hospital while using a birthing ball.
The singer said: “I wasn’t going to say anything. But then I remembered I have receipts.
“This is my belly—lumpy, uneven, stretched and swollen—hooked up to a fetal monitor under a loose birth gown. No designer tailoring. No soft lighting. No choreographed PR moment. Just a real body doing miraculous work.”
The Hollywood star added: “So when I see yet again the internet twisting itself into knots to disprove the humanity of a Black woman’s motherhood—suggesting her stomach ‘towels,’ her child an illusion, her joy a lie—I’m reminded that misogynoir has no expiration date.
“Stand down. She had a baby. And some of y’all need to sit with why that threatens you so much.”
Misogynoir is a term describing the discrimination and racist misogyny aimed at black women.
However, while many people praised Ms Dillard for her “preaching”, others argued that the criticism against Meghan has nothing to do with race.
One user commented on her X post: “Why do you believe it’s a race issue? I think she was legit preg.
“I also think she comes across as disingenuous, has lied repeatedly, & has a poor work ethic.
“This + behavioural expectations for ‘royalty’ wanting privacy explains some public reaction. It’s not all racially driven.”
Another one said: “It’s got nothing to do with her colour **s (face palm emoji)”
A third one added: “Listen Candy a**, no one knew her heritage when she came along. This has nothing to do with that. She’s a deceitful liar. Just because you were fit doesn’t mean she is an athlete.”