Meghan Markle, Prince Harry Called Out for 'Mixed Message on Privacy and Publicity' in 2025 Holiday Card

The season of goodwill has sparked a digital firestorm for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, after the latter shared a new family photo for their 2025 holiday card. While Christmas cards are traditionally a medium for festive cheer, the Sussexes' latest offering has instead reignited a fierce debate over their paradoxical relationship with the spotlight.

Critics and royal watchers alike have wasted no time in calling out the couple, pointing to a jarring disconnect between their litigious demands for privacy and their strategic use of family imagery to bolster their global brand.

The Confusion Over Archie and Lilibet's Public Exposure

The Duchess of Sussex's latest post on Instagram for the holiday features the family of four. However, online sleuths immediately noticed that the royal couple seemed to keep their children's faces hidden, with Prince Harry's hands covering Archie's face and Lilibet's hair covering hers.

The move raised eyebrows, especially because they had already shown their children's faces in the past, so for the critics, it made no sense that they were hiding them now. Some called out Prince Harry and Markle for being hypocrites and for their 'annoyingly questionable' choice.

'It strikes people as very odd that Meghan and Harry are still obscuring their children's faces when Meghan has already shared images of them online to promote her As Ever brand,' a royal source told Radar Online.

The move led to renewed scrutiny of the Sussexes' desire to be in the spotlight while keeping things private, as they are reportedly sending a "mixed message on privacy and publicity."

'There is a sense they want it both ways – asking for privacy while remaining very public,' the source added. 'It reeks of the typical hypocrisy they have shown over the years – moaning about wanting privacy, then using their royal titles and kids whenever they want to get publicity and money from the likes of Netflix and Meghan's business brand.'

Meghan's Oprah Interview Resurfaces

It's not the first time Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been called hypocrites for trying to control the narrative about them. In their 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Markle mentioned 'boundaries' and stressed that the public is not entitled to all information about them, just because they are public figures.

In the interview, Markle clarified that they would share 'parts of their lives' that they were 'comfortable' sharing. She likened it to anyone on social media sharing some photos but not giving everyone access to their entire camera roll. For the Horrible Bosses star, 'it's about boundaries and it's about respect.'

However, while some got her point, many do not agree with what Markle said, especially because of the way she was putting herself in the public eye.

Just recently, Candace Owen used the term 'Meghan Markle Syndrome' in response to Erika Kirk's request to let them keep Charlie Kirk's grave public after she shared a video of herself crying and telling him 'I love you' while he was inside the casket.

'Meghan Markle Syndrome, where you want privacy when you want it, but you want publicity whenever you want it, and that just doesn't work,' Owens said.

'Photoshop' Fiasco

Aside from the renewed scrutiny over the Sussexes' desire for privacy, the same family holiday photo made headlines shortly after Markle posted it, as many felt it was Photoshopped.

Many noticed that a portion of Prince Harry's head was missing and believed it was because it wasn't edited well.

One even joked that Markle 'can't use Lightroom tools effectively.' Another suggested that she probably did it intentionally because she's detail-oriented and unlikely to miss it.

'I assume they did it on purpose to bait people into talking about it,' another X user commented.

Markle has not addressed the criticism and questions about the holiday photo.