Meghan Markle branded selfish over 'rubbish' 40x40 birthday initiative

Meghan Markle only had good intentions to help women when she announced her mentoring initiative called 40x40 on her 40th birthday on Aug. 4. But it reportedly did not do well in the U.K. because of her selfish reasons.

Royal biographer Duncan Larcombe believes it was a flop because it sent the wrong message to other working women. He claimed that it felt like the Duchess of Sussex was lecturing these women about returning to work while at the comforts of her $11 million mansion in Montecito, California.

He acknowledged that it was great what Meghan Markle did especially since she just had her daughter Lilibet in June. But then he circled back to why he believes the 40x40 initiative had "gone down badly in this country."

"It's great, she's doing that, she's just had a baby, and it's all about Meghan, and it's all rubbish frankly," Larcombe told True Royalty TV's The Royal Beat, adding that the former "Suits" star is not qualified to talk about mentoring women because she has left "a trail of devastation on the Markle side and on the Windsor side."

"I don't want to see her lecturing young mums having to go back to work from inside her $11million LA mansion...That's what I think most people in this country believe," he said.

The Duchess of Sussex announced her 40x40 initiative in a video posted on Archewell. In it, she revealed that she has invited 40 people to provide 40 minutes of mentoring to women returning to the workforce. She believes that it could help empower and inspire them and build or regain their confidence. Among those who joined include former First Lady Hilary Clinton, English singer Adele, and other athletes, activists, artists, celebrities, and political figures.

Princess Eugenie was the only member of the British Royal Family who publicly expressed her support for the initiative. The others, on the other hand, were silent. Larcombe branded the cause "nonsense" and suggested that instead of lecturing about mentorship, Meghan Markle "should be spending her time trying to build bridges with the very people that she and Prince Harry have betrayed."