Meghan Markle Sparks Backlash After Viral 2016 Throwback as Critics Say 'I'm Going to Vomit'

Meghan Markle, the 44-year-old Duchess of Sussex, has ignited a fresh wave of online hostility after participating in a viral social media trend that revisits the early days of her royal romance.

The 'backlash' stems from her interactions with her global audience of 10 million Instagram followers, where she remains a deeply polarising figure.

Meghan joined the viral '2026 is the new 2016' trend, sharing a nostalgic carousel that featured a never-before-seen throwback photo from her 2016 trip to Botswana with Prince Harry, where they are seen standing knee-deep in a waterhole.

The post also included a contemporary black-and-white video of the couple dancing barefoot on their lawn in Montecito, a clip featuring a playful 'butt grab' by Prince Harry and credited to their four-year-old daughter, Princess Lilibet.

Visceral Reaction From Critics Highlights The 'Plunge In Popularity'

Critics and royal commentators quickly swarmed the comments section, with some detractors describing the 'performative' display of affection as 'nauseating' and 'staged,' while one viral comment with over 12,000 likes simply stated: 'I'm going to vomit.'

The post was shared on Friday, 16 January 2026, amidst a wider trend of celebrities marking the ten-year anniversary of the mid-2010s, which has seen a 452% spike in '2016' searches on TikTok.

The digital interaction took place on the Duchess's official social media platform, with the physical content captured at her Montecito estate in California and at the historic Okavango Delta in Africa.

The visceral reaction from critics highlights the 'plunge in popularity' the couple has faced in recent years. While supporters of the Sussexes praised the video as a 'sweet glimpse' into their private family life, detractors' overarching sentiment suggests fatigue with the couple's 'privacy-seeking' yet highly public narrative.

The specific 2016 context is also a point of contention; royal historians noted that in January 2016, Meghan was still dating Canadian chef Cory Vitiello, leading some to brand the 'When 2026 feels just like 2016... You had to be there, caption as revisionist history regarding the exact timeline of her and Harry's 'fated' meeting, which actually began in July of that year.

The 'Cringe' Factor And The Lilibet Credit

A significant portion of the backlash has focused on the aesthetics of the 'dancing' video. In the clip, set to Olivia Dean's "So Easy (To Fall in Love)," the couple is seen twirling and embracing as their young daughter supposedly films them. Critics have argued that the 'barefoot and carefree' dance moves and 'performative hugging' feel inorganic, especially given the couple's history of high-production media projects with Netflix and Spotify.

The use of Princess Lilibeta, the 'videographer', has also drawn fire. Detractors have accused the Duchess of using her children as 'shields against criticism' or as 'props' to soften her public image. This sentiment was echoed by several social media users who questioned why a couple so protective of their children's privacy would share content filmed by their four-year-old, whose long red hair was also recently showcased in a December 19 holiday video, for the sake of a viral 'nostalgia trend.'

A Marketing Gambit Or Genuine Nostalgia?

Industry analysts suggest that the timing of the 'nostalgic' post may not be entirely accidental.

The '2026 is the new 2016' trend is currently dominating algorithms, and by participating, Meghan has successfully ensured her name remains at the top of trending topics as she prepares for the highly anticipated Season 2 launch of her lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan, on Netflix. However, this 'marketing-first' approach is precisely what fuels the 'nauseating' label from critics, who see every personal post as a calculated business move.

Furthermore, the choice of the Botswana throwback, representing their third-ever date, is a deliberate reminder of the couple's 'origin story.'

For those who find the Sussexes' narrative 'exhausting,' the return to this specific imagery feels like a repetition of themes already thoroughly explored in their 2022 docuseries. As one critic noted: 'Between the constant rebranding and the plagiarism accusations against American Riviera Orchard, we've reached peak Sussex.'

The Divide In The Court Of Public Opinion

Despite the'I'm Going to Vomit' comments and the 'staged' accusations, the post has also garnered millions of likes from a dedicated fanbase that views the couple as victims of a 'coordinated hate campaign.' This digital rift mirrors the broader trans-Atlantic divide: while many in the US view the video as a harmless celebration of a decade of love, the British press and royal traditionalists often view it as an affront to the 'dignified silence' expected of those with royal ties.

As the couple continues to navigate their post-royal life in 2026, the reaction to this '2016 throwback' serves as a barometer for their current standing.

Whether it is 'iconic' or 'insane,' the Duchess of Sussex remains the only figure capable of turning a simple social media trend into a global debate over the nature of modern celebrity and royal protocol, especially as Prince Harry prepares for a landmark UK court appearance next week.