Meghan Markle’s Surprise Royal Return? Inside the Buzz Fueling Her Latest Headline-Making Move

Hours after the Los Angeles Dodgers clinched the 2025 World Series, Meghan Markle lit up social media with a slick, 19-second Instagram Story filmed inside the Montecito mansion’s private theater. In the clip the Duchess of Sussex, sporting a vintage Dodgers cap, jumps up and kisses Prince Harry as the final out flashes on their 155-inch screen—then turns the camera back on herself for a beaming, “Go Dodgers!” The seemingly spontaneous celebration rocketed to the top of trending feeds, but within hours critics accused the couple of staging the moment for maximum publicity. Body-language pundits highlighted Harry’s “stiff half-smile,” while slow-motion replays allegedly show Meghan stopping to make sure the camera is in focus before planting the kiss. Sky News commentators went further, calling the video “another Hollywood take masquerading as royal authenticity.” The backlash arrives at a pivotal moment for Meghan’s brand strategy. According to royal insider reports, the 44-year-old former actress is quietly assembling a lifestyle empire dubbed “As Ever”—a portfolio rumored to include clean beauty lines, organic teas and a forthcoming podcast reboot. PR analysts tell Us Weekly that the Dodgers clip, authentic or not, keeps Meghan “squarely in the pop-culture conversation” as she courts Silicon Valley investors on a path to what some sources say is a targeted $1 billion valuation. Supporters counter that the criticism is overblown. “We were in our sweats, celebrating like every other fan,” Meghan told friends in a leaked text thread shared with E! News reporters. The Dodgers, for their part, reposted the video to the team’s official TikTok, thanking the Sussexes for “bringing royal energy” to the championship run. Digital engagement metrics suggest the gambit worked: by Monday morning #MeghanMarkle had generated 2.3 million new mentions on X, while Google searches for “Meghan Dodgers video” spiked 4,100 percent globally, topping even post-game highlights from MVP Shohei Ohtani. Social-listening firm Brandwatch notes that sentiment is split—57 percent negative, 43 percent positive—but overall reach “dwarfs any single royal-related story since the Netflix docuseries.” Looking ahead, Meghan and Harry are slated to appear at the Invictus Games Foundation gala in New York on November 14. Crisis-management experts say the couple has a narrow window to convert the current buzz into goodwill: “Show up, focus on veterans, leave the iPhone backstage,” advises PR guru Amy Franck. Whether the Duchess takes that advice—or doubles down on viral content—could determine if her road to billionaire status is a home run or a strikeout.