Inside the Sticky Situation That Allegedly Has Prince William, Kate Middleton Fuming at Meghan Markle

Meghan Markle has sparked fresh controversy after sending a gift box from her 'As Ever' lifestyle brand to a New York influencer known for fierce attacks on Prince William, Kate Middleton and the wider Royal Family, a move critics say has left the Prince and Princess of Wales 'fuming' and reopened tensions just as relations appeared to be thawing.

Speculation about a tentative reset had been building in recent weeks. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are reportedly planning a visit to Britain linked to the one-year countdown to the Invictus Games 2027, fuelling talk that Markle might be looking to cool hostilities with King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Waleses.

Even a seemingly trivial debate about scones briefly became part of that narrative. After William joked on Heart FM that, like the late Queen Elizabeth II, he prefers cream first and jam second, Meghan's As Ever account posted a video of a sliced scone topped with cream, then her own raspberry spread, honey and flower petals. It looked, to some royal-watchers, like a light-hearted nod in his direction rather than another shot in the transatlantic culture war.

Against that backdrop, the couple's recent high-profile trips to Jordan and Australia, widely described as 'faux-royal' tours, were interpreted by some commentators as an attempt to prove they could represent British interests abroad while keeping their commercial ventures in check. The mood music, while hardly warm, was at least less icy than it was at the peak of the fallout after they moved to California.

Meghan Markle's 'As Ever' Gift To Influencer Who Targets Royals

The influencer at the centre of the row is John Tyron, known online as The Notorious JTB. Based in New York, he has more than 190,000 followers on Instagram and just over 150,000 on TikTok, where he has built an audience with sharply critical commentary on the Royal Family.

Back in February, following the release of the Epstein files, Tyron attacked the statement issued by Prince William and Princess Catherine. In one video, he displayed the line 'Future king & queen. Zero backbone. That 'statement' was a royal copy & paste.' His caption accused the Waleses of offering 'polished, vague' crisis messaging designed to protect the royal 'brand' rather than provide accountability, insisting that audiences online had 'read it for exactly what it was.'

Tyron has also criticised the monarchy more broadly, focusing on the handling of the scandal around Prince Andrew and Jeffrey Epstein, and has more recently targeted King Charles over the same issue. None of this appears to have dissuaded Meghan from reaching out.

On Tuesday, Tyron posted a new video revealing what he described as a 'generous gift' from the Duchess of Sussex. The on-screen message read: 'The Duchess sent me a gift. This was not on my 2026 bingo card. Wow.' In his caption, he told followers: 'I received a gift from @meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and I'm still a little stunned. If you've followed me for any length of time, you know how much admiration I have for her. To open a package that came from her was one of those moments I'll never forget.'

The package, according to Tyron's video, contained a handwritten note from Markle and several As Ever products, including candles, honey and limited-edition matchsticks. There is no indication that Meghan mentioned other royals directly in her message, and the contents of the note itself have not been made public. Nothing has been confirmed by Kensington Palace or the Sussexes' representatives, so some of the claimed reactions remain unverified and should be treated with caution.

Critics Allege Meghan Markle Is 'Endorsing Online Abuse'

If Meghan had hoped the gesture would be seen as simply rewarding a loyal supporter of her brand, the online reaction suggests otherwise. Social media users quickly questioned why someone who has repeatedly described herself as a victim of online bullying would align herself, commercially and personally, with a figure who makes a living criticising her in-laws.

In April, Markle said she had been the 'most trolled person in the world,' while Prince Harry has made a point of condemning online abuse. During a recent trip to Australia, he praised the country's move to ban children from social media, calling it 'epic' from a 'responsibility and leadership standpoint.'

That history was not lost on critics. One X user wrote: 'Well, well, well... For years, Meghan has claimed she doesn't read social media and isn't aware of the conversations about her online. Yet somehow she managed to find one of the most hateful anti-Royal Family accounts on X, send a gift and include a personal handwritten note. That's not distance from online bullying. That's endorsement! Shame on you Meghan.'

Another commenter argued that the Sussexes had long tolerated, if not quietly encouraged, hostile commentary against the rest of the family, claiming they had 'never moved a finger to stop' their supporters' attacks. Those are opinions rather than established facts, but they capture a wider suspicion among royal loyalists that the California couple are happy to benefit from the online anti-monarchy ecosystem while publicly decrying toxicity when it turns on them.

The Palace has not commented on the 'As Ever' gift, and there has been no public response from William or Catherine. Yet the optics are difficult to ignore. Just as talk of a cautious rapprochement was beginning to surface, helped by a playful scone video and talk of an Invictus-linked visit, Markle has been accused of effectively rewarding one of the most vocal critics of the people she would need to win round.

Whether the Duchess sees that as a problem, or simply the cost of backing her own supporters, remains an open question. For now, the hamper of jam and honey has become another symbol of a royal relationship that seems to grow stickier with each handling.