Meghan Markle attended Sundance Film Festival over the weekend. (Image: Getty)
Meghan Markle has once again found herself at the centre of royal controversy, this time for what some have called a “desperate” attempt to boost her fading popularity as she attended the Sundance Film Festival alongside husband Prince Harry this week.
On Tuesday’s episode of Kevin O’Sullivan’s TalkTV show, the host said he found the Sussexes’ heavily publicised appearance at the event in Utah “very strange,” as Harry had only recently appeared in a UK court to air his grievances about press intrusion into their lives.
However, the royal pair seemed completely unfazed by media attention as they smiled for cameras while promoting their new film about Girl Scouts, titled Cookie Queens. Speaking to O’Sullivan, royal commentator Angela Levin claimed the Duchess of Sussex relied on Prince Harry to draw attention to her latest project after her popularity waned.
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Meghan Markle seen with Robert Redford’s daughter Amy Redford. (Image: Getty)
Levin said: “She’s getting less and less popular. So she now wants Harry near her. He does what his wife wants him to do. She wants him to help the public buy things, look at things, or decide on things. She’s happy, and he’s desperately keen to keep her happy.”
The royal author also claimed she noticed Meghan being sidelined by organisers, while Harry received most of the attention.
“The woman running the Sundance event didn’t let Meghan hold her hand but put her arm around Harry,” Levin said. “Meghan gets Harry because it gets her more people.”
The royal commentator argued that Meghan’s reliance on Harry highlights her growing insecurity and desire to maintain relevant, even if it means using her husband to do so.
“She’s not popular, we’ve seen that,” Levin added. “So she now wants Harry near her so he can do the things that get more people and, therefore, more money.”
The Sussexes introduced the world premiere of their documentary, Cookie Queens, which they executive-produced through their company Archewell Productions, on Saturday evening at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Centre in Salt Lake City.
The following morning, Harry and Meghan made a second appearance at the festival, this time at the Eccles Theatre in Park City, for a screening of the documentary.
In dressed-down winter attire, Harry and Meghan posed with members of the Cookie Queens cast and crew, and Sundance festival director Eugene Hernandez and Amy Redford, daughter of the festival’s founder, Robert Redford.
“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,” Meghan told a Sundance audience on Sunday morning. “My husband and I and our Archewell Productions, we are so proud and privileged to be able to support and uplift ‘Cookie Queens’.”