Meghan accused of ‘PR stunt’ after wreath details leaked

The royal family of the United Kingdom said their last goodbyes on Saturday to their patriarch and Queen Elizabeth II's 73-year spouse, Prince Philip, who died on April 9 at the age of 99.

Meghan, who is pregnant with her second child, initially planned to attend the service, but her doctor cautioned her against it.

Prince Harry returned to Windor for the solemn day, his first UK appearance since announcing his retirement from royal life last year.

Despite being unable to attend Prince Philip's funeral, the Duchess of Sussex made sure she was present, in some way. She submitted a handwritten note with a colorful wreath to be laid at the service at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on Saturday, according to reports earlier this week.

The wreath in question was made up of locally sourced flowers with sentimental touches to honor the Duke of Edinburgh, but certain royal enthusiasts are still wondering how something that was meant to be private ended up in the public eye.

Meghan Markle was suspected of revealing information of the handwritten letter she added to a wreath to honor the late Duke of Edinburgh to the press ahead of the funeral, according to commentator Daniela Elsa.

Royals placed nine wreaths against the stalls on either side of the Duke's coffin, but only the specifics of Meghan Markle's offering were made public.

“A source close to the Sussexes confirmed that (the wreath) had been designed and handmade by Willow Crossley, a Cotswolds florist known for her natural, rustic arrangements,” according to The Telegraph.

People are dissatisfied with what seems to be the Sussexes' decision to make their wreaths public, particularly because other members of the royal family have held their wreaths secret.

Elsa, writing for news.com.au in Australia, claimed Meghan used the opportunity to make headlines.

“What is bewildering here is why and how, on a day which should have been resolutely, solely focused on celebrating the Duke, that still something Sussex-related has managed to end up in the headlines,” she wrote.

“While Buckingham Palace has released a cavalcade of specifics about yesterday's proceedings, everything from precise timings to where exactly Philip's valets would be standing, no particulars about the other eight wreaths that were placed in the chapel have been released.”

“The appearance here is that even at this moment of mourning someone Sussex-adjacent has seen the wreath and Meghan's note as an opportunity to drum up some good PR, hardly edifying stuff.”

Meghan also used the chance to promote florist Willow Crossley, who produced the handcrafted wreath and was in charge of the flowers for the Sussexes' wedding celebration and son Archie's 2019 christening, according to Elsa.

“But why did anyone feel the need to share this information with the world?” she wondered.

“The unavoidable conclusion here is that the details of the Crossley-created salute are known today, and making headlines because someone wanted them out there.”

The Sussexes' dwindling popularity among Brits, according to Elsa, may be a factor in the leak.

“In recent months both Harry and Meghan's approval ratings in the UK have cratered to record lows, with both the Duke and Duchess hitting negative figures, according to a poll done in the wake of their explosive Oprah Winfrey TV interview last month.”

“Perhaps it was too much to expect that this weekend's proceedings could have gone off without something Harry and Meghan-related in the mix.”

Royal lovers have also weighed in on the discussion on social media, with one asking, “Who leaked the information about the wreath to the press?”

“Odd that no other members of the family sought to publicise their wreaths and personal messages.”

“And who let it be known what flowers in wreath meant etc, when details about every other wreath have been kept private – as it should be?”

While several people chastised Meghan for revealing details concerning her wreath to the public, others praised her for her thoughtful act on social media.

One person wrote:

“Meghan Markle accused of ‘bewildering PR stunt' over wreath at Philip's funeral.

“To whoever this person is.

“This ignorant, hateful person who does not like Duchess of Sussex, just proves it doesn't matter what she does, gets attacked, YES attacked.”

Another said:

“If … it had transpired… that Meghan had NOT sent a wreath.

“Run that scenario, what would you say then?”

A third commented:

“Meghan is gracious, handwriting her condolences with a lovely thought-out very personal wreath.

“The Royal Family members who are not as gracious look and learn.

“Doria instilled in Meghan generosity of spirit.

“A lady through and through.”

One more tweeted tweeted:

“This is vintage Meghan.

“Thoughtful sophisticated and a lesson in how to make a wreath totally representative of the recipient.