Meghan Markle has been criticised by one of her Montecito neighbours, Richard Mineards, for not engaging with the local community.
Speaking in the German documentary ‘Harry: The Lost Prince’, Mineards stated, “I personally don’t think that Meghan is an asset to our community… She doesn’t really go out or get involved with the community.”
According to The Mirror, Mineards contrasted Meghan’s approach with Prince Harry’s, noting that the Duke of Sussex had made efforts to engage locally, saying, “Harry has to a certain extent because he’s quite jolly… but Meghan doesn’t seem to get seen anywhere… And you don’t see him either.”
Criticism and defence
The documentary also shed light on the broader criticisms of Harry and Meghan’s public engagements. Former Head of Royal Protection, Dai Davies, told The Daily Mail, “These tours are carefully orchestrated campaigns… It’s all about Harry and Meghan.”
However, he acknowledged some positive aspects of Harry’s recent Colombia visit, which was praised for its focus on schoolchildren and Invictus Games training.
The documentary further explored how Prince Harry has been accused of “whining” about his family in his memoir Spare. Veteran soldier Ben McBean, who shared a flight home from Afghanistan with Harry, told The Mirror, “I just thought, with him kind of whinging about his family… I’d have told him to shut up as well.”
Despite these criticisms, Meghan recently shared a more personal perspective during an interview with Marie Claire. Reflecting on her family life in Montecito, she said, “Every year it gets better,” expressing happiness about spending quality time with their children, Archie and Lilibet.
In the same documentary, royal expert Angela Levin highlighted Harry’s struggles after leaving the royal family. Levin stated, “He didn’t get exactly what he wanted… The late Queen made it clear that being half in and half out of the Royal Family wouldn’t work.”