Meghan Markle’s trip to Paris Fashion Week didn’t go quite the way she probably hoped. What was meant to be a glamorous appearance at Balenciaga’s Spring/Summer 2026 show quickly turned into a storm of online mockery and criticism from royal watchers who called it “a humiliating flop.”
The Duchess of Sussex showed up in an all-white outfit that had social media users divided. She posed for cameras and exited the venue in what many described as a “catwalk-style” strut, but instead of applause, the moment drew plenty of ridicule. Critics compared her stiff poses and dramatic walk to something out of a parody, and the internet wasted no time turning clips into memes.
Things only got worse after Meghan shared a video of herself lounging in a limo near the Pont de l’Alma tunnel—the same location where Princess Diana tragically died in 1997. Many found the choice of location to be in poor taste, sparking another round of backlash online.
Royal commentator Lee Cohen didn’t hold back when speaking to The Express about the incident, calling it “an absolute shambles.” He said, “Showing up at the Balenciaga show in that ill-fitting white getup, strutting like she’s auditioning for a bad parody of a supermodel—it’s all so fake and forced, like she’s trying way too hard to play the part of a fashion icon but ending up as the punchline.”
He went on to say, “The video of her exiting the show has been ripped apart online, and rightly so; her awkward poses, that stiff walk reminiscent of Zoolander’s over-the-top ego, and the clumsy interaction with the creative director scream inauthenticity.”
Cohen added that the moment wasn’t the fashion win Meghan might have been aiming for. “This wasn’t a triumph; it was a humiliating flop that underscores her fading star power and inability to read the room,” he said.
The criticism echoed what many fans and royal watchers had already been saying on social media. While some defended Meghan and praised her confidence, others accused her of trying too hard to reclaim the spotlight. A few pointed out that her appearance felt more like a performance than a genuine return to the high-fashion scene.
It’s not the first time Meghan has faced public backlash for her attempts to establish herself outside the royal family. Since stepping back from royal duties in 2020, she’s been working to carve out her own identity, often mixing Hollywood glamour with humanitarian causes. But her every move still draws scrutiny—especially when it involves high-profile appearances like Paris Fashion Week.
For now, Meghan hasn’t commented on the criticism, but the internet certainly has. Between the memes, fashion takes, and royal gossip, her brief trip to Paris has once again proven that when Meghan Markle steps into the spotlight, the reaction is never simple—or subtle.