'Clever and Cunning': Meghan Markle Sparks Outrage Among UK Netizens With Speech at Sundance Film Festival - Details

After taking to the stage at the Sundance Film Festival, online critics were calling for the royal couple's titles to be stripped entirely, with some accusing the Duchess of exploiting her connection to the monarchy for publicity.

Meghan Markle faced sharp backlash after appearing at the Sundance Film Festival on Sunday, January 26, 2026, where she introduced the new documentary "Cookie Queens," which she executive-produced alongside Prince Harry.

She stepped onto the stage at a morning screening in Park City, Utah, to warm applause after being introduced as Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, and praised the documentary as "the cutest film" at the festival during her speech and spoke passionately about its themes.

"Thank you guys so much for being here bright and early. I know some of you probably had late nights last night, so extra thanks for the effort. Nothing that little cookies and coffee can't help," she began.

However, while her appearance drew enthusiastic support from the audience in the room, reactions online — particularly among British commenters — were far less forgiving.

Meghan continued, "Look, my husband and I and our Archewell Productions, we are so proud and privileged to be able to support and uplift 'Cookie Queens.' This film, yes, is probably the cutest at the festival."

"But I'm also going to go out on the limb and say it is one of the most powerful and meaningful depictions of something that is an American tradition and rooted in nostalgia," she added.

"But it's now put through this lens from the incredible creative vision of Alyssa to show something modernised about the girlhood experience and all the layers of complexity that come with that," the Duchess shared.

Calling the young stars "fantastic and adorable," Meghan added that they were "layered, beautiful girls who are about to become very strong leaders and young women" before stating:

"This film is such a labour of love they have worked on for a couple years and with all of the hundreds of hours of trusted, fly-on-the-wall material that they were able to capture with these families that let them in and allowed them to show and share their lives and their loves.”

The event marked the second premiere of the film that weekend, with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex also attending the initial screening in Salt Lake City the day before.

However, while her appearance drew enthusiastic support from the audience in the room, reactions online — particularly among British commenters — were far less forgiving.

One person commented, "Using her title to promote a Girl Scout Cookie movie at Sundance, King Charles, are you paying attention??" Another shared, "What Megan is doing has gone beyond despicable! Both she and Harry should have their titles revoked-all of them and this includes their 2 children [sic]!"

Following the screening, Meghan also made a brief appearance on the red carpet, where she was asked whether Princess Lilibet, four, might one day join the Girl Scouts.

Others accused Meghan of opportunism, with one remarking, "Only wants to be a Royal member when it's convenient. Time to remove the title. You can't have it both ways."

Criticism continued with one commenter questioning, "She doesn't get it does she [sic]," while another added, "She keeps doing this publicly over & over (demanding to be addressed with the title) hoping it will secure it publicly so Willam [sic] can't take it away."

There was also discussion around her continued use of the Duchess title. One person typed, "My understanding was that she's not considered royal so she's not allowed to use HRH. The Duchess title hasn't been taken away from her yet, so I guess she'll milk it as long as she can." Another netizen simply said, "She is clever and cunning..."

Following the screening, Meghan also made a brief appearance on the red carpet, where she was asked whether Princess Lilibet, four, might one day join the Girl Scouts. "It's interesting, I think we'll consider to explore, continue to explore whatever feels right," she said vaguely.

The mention of Princess Lilibet on the red carpet came after Meghan Markle left many puzzled with a separate incident involving her daughter.

On January 17, 2026, the royal surprised her followers with a post that blended romance, nostalgia, and a touch of cheek — but it was one unexpected detail that left many scratching their heads.

The Instagram post, captioned, "When 2026 feels just like 2016....you had to be there. 🎥 cred: our daughter," opened with a black-and-white video of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex dancing together in the garden.

With Meghan in a fitted white top and cream mini-shorts and Prince Harry in a loose T-shirt and tracksuit bottoms, the couple twirled barefoot on the grass, wrapped in each other's arms and visibly enjoying the moment.

While some might interpret the caption as tongue-in-cheek, others saw it as yet another example of what they perceive to be curated inauthenticity from the Sussexes.

In one playful beat, the Duke cheekily grabbed his wife's bottom — a bold gesture that underscored the clip's flirtatious tone. The footage was light-hearted and affectionate, and the Duchess's caption credited the video to "our daughter," sparking a flurry of confusion, disbelief, and criticism across social media.

Viewers of the video questioned how Princess Lilibet, who turned four last June, could have possibly filmed the video herself. From the height of the frame to the steadiness of the camera, many were quick to voice their doubts.

"Does anyone actually believe a 4 year old filmed that. Come on it would be tilted upwards and shaking. Just more BS lies from the grifters [sic]," said one person. "If anyone really believes that a 4 year old held this 'steady camera', I have oceanfront real estate to sell you… in Iowa…." shared another.

A third person commented, "Is Lilly 5 feet all [sic]. Look at the camera height and angle," while a fourth typed, "And we all believe a 4 year old took these shots 😂😂😂." "C'mon !!! A 4 yrs old filming that way … [sic]," said one netizen, and another simply noted, "Cute video clip, but there's no way it was done by a 4-year-old child."

The chorus of scepticism dominated the conversation, with many arguing that the technical execution of the footage — from composition to tracking — pointed to someone far older behind the camera.

While some might interpret the caption as tongue-in-cheek, others saw it as yet another example of what they perceive to be curated inauthenticity from the Sussexes.

Still, amid the backlash, the video did succeed in showcasing a rare candid moment between the Duke and Duchess, who, despite ongoing public scrutiny, continue to share glimpses of their private life on their own terms.

As for the second slide in the post, it only deepened the intrigue as it was a sun-soaked image of the couple standing knee-deep in water, embracing in front of a vast golden field.

Taken in vivid colour, the photograph echoed the tone of their early courtship, seemingly inviting followers into a moment of private bliss.

Whether Princess Lilibet truly filmed the video or not remains beside the point for some — but for others, the truth, or lack thereof, has become yet another flashpoint in the couple's ever-divisive relationship with the public.