Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are named the top 100 most influential people by “Time” magazine. The runaway Royals dived into charity work since they left Buckingham Palace in January of 2024 and moved across the pond. Specifically, the Los Angeles mansion where they share a fence with some of the most famous people in showbusiness.
Duke and Duchess of Sussex ended up on the cover of the world-famous magazine spearing no dime on appearance. For the special occasion, Meghan wore a matching white shirt and pants, while Harry, standing a bit in the back made the contrast all in black. But that’s not what made the news.
Meghan, regardless of her wish to distance herself from the Royal family, went on to wear one of the most expensive royal jewelry. For someone who says that wants to “give voice to the voiceless”, fight against poverty and hunger in the world, the Duchess sure made us question her agenda.
Meghan wore jewelry that exceeds $380,000 in value, although some of the pieces are considered to be priceless, like Lady Diana’s Cartier Tank wristwatch. Market value is estimated at $23,000. To match, the Duchess wore a love bracelet that is worth about $7000 and has a sentimental value for the couple. It was a gift for Meghan from Harry from the beginning of their relationship.
Further, the jewelry display included Meghan’s engagement ring that was designed by Prince Harry himself and embellished with diamonds that belonged to his late mother. The ring was made by Cleave & Company costing about $350K, give or take a couple of tens of thousands.
To balance out the pricey collection, the “Suits” actress wore two Duet Pinky Rings from Shiffon which come at the price of $550 each. Wearing Shiffon jewelry Meghan, we assume, wanted to make a statement since the company focuses on using sustainable materials, and ethically approved studs.
When you go beyond the cover story, you will find their long-time friend and chef Jose Andres praising their efforts to help the needy. Andres claims that many people don’t know how much effort the Duke and Duchess put into assisting the less fortunate but are quick to judge them based on the newspaper headlines. “They turn compassion into boots on the ground through their Archewell Foundation. They give voice to the voiceless through media production. Hand in hand with non-profit partners, they take risks to help communities in need—offering mental-health support to Black women and girls in the U.S., and feeding those affected by natural disasters in India and the Caribbean”, Andres said.
Still, many were not convinced. The Duchess’ jewelry plastered on the cover page was seen as a sign of insincerity and deceit. Harsh criticism is coming mainly from the British media and the public in general who wants the former actress to completely disassociate herself from the Royals.
The social media community didn’t have any kind words for the couple either. One Twitter user mocked the couple saying that it “made Harry look like he’s her hairdresser and he’s looking into the mirror explaining what he did to her layers”.
Kim Marks 
Nina Smith