Talk about timing – or lack thereof. Just 24 hours after Prince William and Kate Middleton dropped their flawless, heartwarming 2025 Christmas card on December 18 – showing the Wales family cuddled up in a sunny Norfolk field surrounded by daffodils, all smiles and coordinated earth tones – Meghan Markle scrambled to unleash the Sussexes’ version on December 19. Coincidence? Hardly.
Royal watchers are calling it a blatant rush job, with insiders whispering that Team Sussex panicked after seeing the Waleses steal the holiday spotlight yet again.Meghan, 44, posted the family photo directly to her Instagram (comments conveniently disabled, as always), captioning it “Happy Holidays! From our family to yours.” The image shows the foursome – Harry, Meghan, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4 – posing on a wooden bridge in the lush gardens of their $15 million Montecito estate.
Harry hugs Archie from behind while gazing downward, Meghan bends down holding Lilibet’s hand, and the kids’ faces are partially obscured for “privacy.” Cute in theory, but the execution? A hot mess that’s got the internet in stitches – and not the festive kind.First, the elephant in the room: Meghan’s dress.
The Duchess opted for a flowing ivory midi dress, backlit by bright California sunshine, turning it semi-transparent and outlining her figure in a way that’s raised more than a few eyebrows. “How very Diana,” critics sneer, referencing Princess Diana’s famous “revenge dress” moments – but on a family Christmas card? Social media exploded: “Meghan and her see-through dresses again – this is the fifth time she’s stood in front of bright light like that!” one X user raged. “Nothing says ‘Merry Christmas’ like a sheer frock on a kids’ holiday photo.
Tone-deaf much?”Then there’s little Lilibet, looking downright alarmed. The four-year-old appears stiff and wide-eyed, clutching Meghan’s hand as if approaching a stranger – “Stranger danger vibes,” quipped one viral post. Body language experts are having a field day: “Lili looks terrified, like she’s been dragged out for a photo op against her will,” one analyst noted. “No natural joy here – just forced posing.”
And don’t get us started on the hair. Lilibet’s long strawberry-blonde locks hang wild and unbrushed, tumbling over her face in a tangled mess. “Hasn’t seen a hairbrush in days,” observers mock, contrasting it sharply with Princess Charlotte’s perfectly groomed ponytail in the Wales card.
Archie fares no better – his red hair peeks out unkempt, adding to the overall “rushed and ragged” aesthetic.Prince Harry? The 41-year-old looks utterly zoned out, his eyes half-lidded and expression blank as he stares at the ground. “Harry looks stoned,” became an instant meme, with zoomed-in screenshots circulating wildly. “Is he even awake? That gaze screams ‘get me out of here.'” Sources close to the couple (or what’s left of them) claim the photo was snapped “earlier this month,” but skeptics point to awkward proportions, unnatural lighting, and subtle blurs as signs of heavy editing – or worse.This isn’t the Sussexes’ first holiday flop. They also released an “official” card featuring just Harry and Meghan holding hands at the Invictus Games, plus a video rebranding Archewell to “Philanthropies.”
But Meghan’s personal Instagram drop feels like a direct jab at the Waleses’ wholesome family portrait – taken in April by photographer Josh Shinner, showing William and Kate beaming with George, 12, Charlotte, 10, and Louis, 7, in relaxed, joyful harmony.The contrast is brutal. While the Waleses exude genuine togetherness – faces fully visible, kids grinning ear-to-ear – the Sussexes hide behind partial blurs, backlighting tricks, and what many call a “manufactured” scene. “They must have rushed this after seeing Kate’s perfect one,” one royal commentator said. “It’s like they’re always playing catch-up, but ending up with something contrived and cringey.”
Backlash has been swift and savage on X and beyond. Fans of the monarchy praise the Wales card as “elegant and authentic,” while dismissing the Sussex effort as “desperate PR.” Even some former supporters are turning: “Why always the sheer dresses and scared kids? It’s giving try-hard, not holiday cheer.”
As the Sussexes hole up in Montecito for another “low-key” Christmas far from the royal fold, questions swirl: Was this rushed release a bid to compete with William and Kate? Or just more evidence of a family facade cracking under the California sun?One thing’s for sure – while the Waleses spread real joy, Meghan’s “interesting” Montecito moment is sparking mockery, not merriment.
Happy Holidays indeed… or should we say, awkward ones?Sources include Meghan Markle’s Instagram, Kensington Palace social media, HELLO!, Daily Mail, Parade, and social media reactions on X.
