Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who have long been at the center of controversy, are once again making headlines for their latest public statement. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have openly criticized Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, for its decision to scrap its fact-checking program.
In their statement, the couple called on Meta to prioritize the safety of the public and take action against the increasing issue of hate speech on its platforms. They expressed concern that the decision to dismantle the fact-checking program may have been influenced by political motivations, suggesting that Meta’s move could be swayed by “political winds.”
This latest criticism has sparked the attention of PR experts, with Nick Ede warning that it could lead to significant backlash, particularly from former President Donald Trump. The relationship between the Sussexes and Trump has been strained ever since they stepped down from royal duties, and Ede believes that Trump’s reaction could escalate tensions further.
“Poking this ginormous bear,” Ede says, referring to Trump, “he will likely see this as a battle he wants to win,” leaving Harry and Meghan to prepare for whatever comeback the former president might have in store.
Ede points out that the couple’s remarks could be seen as “quite incendiary,” especially since Trump has made no secret of his disapproval of the Sussexes. The tension between the two parties goes back to the 2020 election when Harry and Meghan made a video urging Americans to “vote against hate speech,” which many interpreted as a direct critique of Trump.
With their history of public disagreements, this latest clash seems unlikely to be the last between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the former president.
