Meghan Markle Defended After Jordan Hospital Visit
Meghan Markle has been defended by supporters online after criticism of her visit to a hospital in Amman, Jordan, during a two-day trip undertaken with Prince Harry. The Duchess of Sussex was photographed meeting children who had been evacuated from Gaza for medical treatment, prompting a social media debate that linked her public appearance to her estrangement from her father, Mr Thomas Markle.
During the couple’s visit to the Specialty Hospital in Amman, Express reported that Meghan was seen kneeling by a young girl’s bedside to offer comfort, while the Sussexes met other child patients who had been evacuated to Jordan for treatment.
According to the report, some users on X criticised Meghan’s hospital appearance by referencing her family rift and asking why she had not visited her father following an emergency surgery in December. The article said other users responded by pointing to the couple’s long-running estrangement from Mr Markle, including fallout linked to staged paparazzi photographs taken shortly before the Sussex wedding in 2018.
The Jordan engagements form part of the Sussexes’ work alongside global health partners, and follow their earlier appearance when they joined the World Health Organisation chief during a separate engagement connected to humanitarian initiatives.
The exchange highlights how the Duchess’s overseas appearances can quickly draw attention back to her personal relationships and wider public scrutiny, even when visits are focused on humanitarian issues. The Sussexes are expected to continue engagements in Jordan linked to medical support projects during their time in the country.
