Meghan Markle is facing backlash after sharing a video of herself relaxing in a limousine near the Paris tunnel where Princess Diana was fatally injured in 1997.
The Duchess of Sussex, 44, posted the video on her Instagram Stories, showing her car passing Paris landmarks such as Pont Alexandre III and Pont des Invalides at night. In the clip, she also stretched her legs and appeared relaxed in the back seat. Her limo was reportedly close to the Pont de l’Alma tunnel, the site of Princess Diana’s tragic crash.
The video quickly created outrage online. Many social media users accused Markle of being insensitive, questioning why she would film near the location where Prince Harry’s mother died. Some even claimed the clip was done intentionally to provoke attention.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams criticized the video, calling it “utterly bewildering” and “insensitive beyond belief.” He added that no professional adviser would have encouraged Markle to post such a video and that it likely upset Prince Harry, given the lasting trauma of his mother’s death.
Princess Diana died at age 36 after a high-speed car crash in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel on August 31, 1997. Her driver, Henri Paul, was reportedly under the influence of alcohol and prescription drugs while trying to escape paparazzi.
Markle was in France to attend Paris Fashion Week, where she appeared at Balenciaga’s show supporting creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli. Despite the backlash, she posted another message thanking the brand and expressing her love for Paris.