Meghan Markle & Prince Harry Face Major Criticism After Miami Summit
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry recently appeared at their first official engagement after the announcement that they would be stepping back from the royal family and relinquishing their duties as senior royals. The event, a summit held by JP Morgan, is thought to have paid the couple more than $1 million to speak (per The Sun).
This has drawn hefty criticism from the public, as JP Morgan has been accused of pumping billions into companies that are responsible for fracking in addition to Arctic oil and gas exploration. Considering Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's commitment to the environment (Prince Harry has said the couple only want two children due to environmental concerns), the speaking gig has been viewed by many as hypocritical.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have previously spoken out against climate change
"What we need to remind everybody is: these are things that are happening now," Prince Harry previously told Vogue (via the Telegraph) of the dangerous state of the planet. "We are already living in it. We are the frog in the water and it's already been brought to the boil. Which is terrifying."
The Sussexes have also spoken out specifically against fossil fuel emissions. A June 2019 post from the couple's official Instagram page reads, "There is a ticking clock to protect our planet — with climate change, the deterioration of our natural resources, endangerment of sacred wildlife, the impact of plastics and microplastics, and fossil fuel emissions, we are jeopardizing this beautiful place we call home — for ourselves and for future generations."
The post also included a direct quote from Prince Harry. "Environmental damage has been treated as a necessary by-product of economic growth," said the royal. "So deeply ingrained is this thinking that it has been considered part of the natural order that humankind's development comes at the expense of our planet."
Experts warn that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry need to be more careful going forward
As Mark Borkowski, who The Sun described as a "PR guru," told the outlet, this is "not the best look" for the couple. He added, "How they accept money, and from whom, is going to be a challenge going forward."
Also weighing in was royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams."They need to be careful," said Fitzwilliams of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. "If you preach, you should practice what you preach. When it comes to the rich and famous there is an awful lot of hypocrisy over climate change."