Meghan Markle accused of playing ‘victim' with ‘wealth guilt' story

Meghan Markle’s recent confession about feeling guilty for having “a lot” of money has attracted backlash from experts.

According to a top branding expert, the Duchess of Sussex tried to gain public’s sympathy with her remarks but failed to do so.

On her podcast Confessions of a Female Founder, while speaking with billionaire Spanx founder Sara Blakely, Meghan opened up about growing up with a mindset that made her feel bad about wealth.

She explained how this “scarcity mindset” made it hard to enjoy success, saying it left people feeling like they never have enough.

Meghan said that women are often taught not to talk about finances, admitting that she sometimes feels like she will never have enough.

"So many women, especially, we’re taught to not even talk about money. And there’s lots of guilt mentality surrounding having a lot,” said Meghan.

She noted that that it’s all too "easy" to believe financial security is out of reach, adding, "And at the same time, there’s a scarcity mindset that it’s easy to attach to, of like 'I’ll never have enough.’”

Her comments did not sit well with branding expert Doug Eldridge, who told Fox News, that the conversation felt more like a strategy than a sincere moment, calling it “terribly inauthentic.” 

"It’s like humidity you can't see it, but you feel it and it's undeniable,” he said. “For Meghan, this was a tactic to try and become more relatable to her audience, but you can't fake authenticity.”

“You either have it or you don't. This has been an ongoing struggle for her,” they added.

He said Meghan struggles to come across as genuine and accused her of using the “victim card,” which he believes is now hurting her public image.

“In terms of the royal family, her indirect references continue to hurt her with the target audience,” he said.