Meghan Markle’s latest public appearance was supposed to spotlight a serious cause. Instead, critics pounced on something very different: the crowd.
The Duchess of Sussex traveled to Geneva, Switzerland, to help open The Lost Screen Memorial at the Place des Nations, an emotional installation focused on children who lost their lives after online violence, abuse, or digital harm.
But after photos and video from the event began circulating online, some royal watchers claimed the turnout looked surprisingly small for one of the most famous women in the world.
And the jokes came fast.
One critic told RadarOnline.com that Meghan was “literally not a crowd-pleaser,” while others online mocked the scene as appearing to draw only a handful of people.
Meghan, 44, appeared at the event without Prince Harry, 41, even though the couple has repeatedly spoken out about the dangers social media can pose to young people.
The installation was unveiled during World Health Assembly week and included representatives from the World Health Organization, Archewell Philanthropies, government officials, health leaders, and families personally affected by online abuse.
The memorial features 50 illuminated lightboxes showing lock-screen photos of children who died after suffering online harm.
It was a somber and emotional event. But that did not stop Meghan’s critics from focusing on the size of the crowd.
One source familiar with the reaction said there was “surprise” among some observers because Meghan remains such a globally recognized figure.
“There was surprise among some observers because Meghan remains one of the most internationally recognized women in the world, yet the atmosphere around the event felt surprisingly subdued,” the insider said. “A lot of people expected a much larger public response given the amount of media attention that usually follows her.”
That reaction quickly spilled onto social media.
Photos appeared to show only a modest group gathered nearby as Meghan delivered her remarks. Some critics claimed the event looked more like a quiet stop than a major public moment.
One X user sarcastically wrote: “The massive crowds that turned out for Meghan Markle today in Switzerland. I hope she felt safe, poor thing.”
Another wrote: “Can you imagine flying all the way to Switzerland, and that is the size of the crowd.”
A third added: “They look more like passers-by.”
For Meghan’s critics, the images became another chance to question whether the Duchess still has the same public pull she once had.
One source said commentators were quick to use the moment as “evidence” that Meghan struggles to generate real enthusiasm outside tightly controlled appearances.
“Critics immediately seized on the images circulating online showing only a relatively small group gathered nearby and used it as evidence that Meghan struggles to generate genuine public enthusiasm outside carefully managed appearances,” the source said.
The insider added: “Fairly or unfairly, some commentators were openly questioning whether she still has the same pulling power she once did, and joking that she is literally not a crowd-pleaser.”
Still, Meghan’s actual message was deeply serious.
Standing in front of the glowing memorial, she urged people to remember the children behind the display.
“Behind me stands The Lost Screen Memorial,” Meghan said. “Not statistics. Not avatars. Not data points. Children.”
She continued: “Each name belonged to a child who was loved beyond measure. A child whose laughter once filled a kitchen. Whose shoes once waited by a front door. Whose future once felt limitless.”
The Lost Screen Memorial was first unveiled in New York City in April last year as part of the No Child Lost to Social Media campaign. It was later brought to Geneva, where it was displayed through May 22.
Sources close to Meghan and Harry insist the cause is not about publicity. They say the issue is personal for the couple, who have made online safety one of their major post-royal causes.
“For Meghan and Harry, this issue goes far beyond publicity or optics,” one insider said. “They genuinely believe social media companies need to be held accountable for the harm being done to children, and they are determined to keep pushing that message regardless of how much criticism they face online themselves.”
The backlash comes as Meghan continues to face intense scrutiny over her public image since she and Harry stepped back from royal duties in 2020.
The couple now live in Montecito, California, with their two children, Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 4.
But years after leaving royal life, Meghan remains one of the most talked-about women in the world. Every speech, appearance, outfit, project, and photo still gets picked apart.
This time, she traveled across the world to speak about children harmed by the darkest corners of social media.
But for her loudest critics, the message was overshadowed by the empty space around her.
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Totally disagree. I do not believe she is the most famous person in the world. Why?
Maghan is a pedophile. I would not let my children go to her events, because of the clothes she wears. A red dress split down the front to her belly button, not a dress to be worn around children.
Where’s the picture of the crowd?
She’s hardly the most famous anyone in the world. She wasn’t even a headliner until she married the prince.
She’s STILL trying to stay in the public eye…She needs to give it up