Meghan Markle’s new business venture into wine has received a mixed reaction this week — including widespread support from fans of the Duchess, and growing concern over an offensive social media post that many have called “deeply inappropriate.”

The Duchess of Sussex announced on July 1 that her lifestyle brand As Ever would be expanding into wine, with a first release: a 2023 Napa Valley Rosé described as “light, fresh, and effortlessly celebratory,” personally curated by Meghan herself. A sparkling wine using the traditional Méthode Champenoise is also in development, with more varietals to follow.

While the announcement attracted enthusiasm from supporters and curiosity from consumers, a disturbing post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) has sparked outrage online.

Tasteless social media post draws sharp criticism

An anonymous anti-Sussex account known for frequently targeting Meghan shared a post juxtaposing a photo of her drinking wine next to an image of the Paris car crash that killed Princess Diana in 1997. The caption appeared to draw an inappropriate and baseless connection between the two.

The post was quickly condemned across online forums, particularly on Reddit, where users expressed disbelief and frustration. One commenter wrote, “I literally gasped in shock. What a cruel thing to say.” Others echoed the sentiment, describing the account’s behavior as “vile,” “disturbing,” and “completely unhinged.”