Meghan Markle is facing backlash after launching her new rosé wine label on what many consider a deeply sensitive day for the royal family, Princess Diana’s birthday. The Duchess of Sussex’s decision to debut her “As Ever” rosé on July 1 has reportedly struck a nerve with Prince William, who continues to mourn the tragic loss of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.
The Princess died in a car crash in 1997, caused by a drunk driver—an event that left a lasting impact on both William and Prince Harry. Now, with Meghan’s latest business venture being linked to alcohol and released on the very day Diana would have turned 63, royal observers are calling it a tone-deaf and “cruel” move.
According to royal commentator Kinsey Schofield, the launch did not go unnoticed by the Prince of Wales. “It’s not lost on Prince William that Meghan has launched an alcohol brand on his mother’s birthday, the very mum he lost in a drink driving tragedy,” a source told Schofield.
Though Prince William reportedly did not express open outrage, the source noted that the timing “struck a nerve” with him. When asked whether William was angry about the launch, the insider responded, “It’s what he’s come to expect from her. He doesn’t think much of her.”
The situation is made more complex by the already strained relationship between the royal brothers. William and Harry have remained largely estranged from one another—and from Meghan—since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from royal duties in 2020. The ongoing tension has only been heightened by public interviews and memoirs that aired the family’s private grievances.
Schofield went on to suggest that the choice of launch date appeared intentional rather than coincidental. “Timing an alcohol launch to Diana’s birthday wasn’t just a misstep; it was borderline cruel,” she said. “To claim ignorance here doesn’t hold up—it wasn’t just insensitive. It felt like a betrayal of the very narrative she’s working so hard to craft.”
While Prince Harry has not commented publicly, some royal watchers believe the move may have also hurt him, given his well-documented affection for his late mother.
Meanwhile, Prince William continues to honor Princess Diana’s legacy through meaningful initiatives, such as his Homelessness Campaign, an ambitious program aimed at ending homelessness in the UK, inspired by Diana’s humanitarian work.
As the controversy surrounding the launch continues to grow, many are left questioning whether this was simply a PR blunder—or something far more calculated.