They’re SNUBBED & ROASTED! Santa Barbara Locals REJECT Meghan’s Wine on
Halloween: “Not Welcome Here!”
Halloween may be known for its tricks and treats — but for Meghan Markle, it turned into a public relations nightmare. What was meant to be a light-hearted evening of mingling and promotion quickly spiraled into an icy reception that left the Duchess of Sussex visibly rattled.
According to eyewitnesses, Meghan and her team showed up at a private Halloween tasting event in Santa Barbara, hoping to showcase her much-hyped new wine label. The setup was reportedly elegant and picture-perfect — glittering glassware, candles, and handpicked local decorations meant to capture that “California vineyard chic.”
But the locals weren’t buying it — literally or figuratively.
“It was awkward from the start,” said one attendee, who asked to remain anonymous. “People were polite at first, but there was this unspoken tension. You could tell no one wanted to be part of a publicity stunt.”
As Meghan began introducing the wine, complete with her trademark Hollywood smile and polished charm, several guests reportedly rolled their eyes or walked away. Some murmured that the duchess was “turning every community event into a media opportunity.”
Within minutes, things took an uncomfortable turn.
“A few people actually refused to even taste the wine,” another local told The Sun US. “One woman said, ‘We support real local vineyards — not celebrity gimmicks.’ Meghan just froze for a moment and tried to laugh it off, but you could see she was embarrassed.”
Sources say Meghan’s PR team tried to smooth things over, suggesting selfies and complimentary bottles, but it only made things worse. Some residents allegedly mocked the gesture, saying it felt like “damage control.”
“This isn’t Hollywood,” a longtime Santa Barbara resident was overheard saying. “She can’t charm her way through everything.”
By the end of the evening, witnesses claim the Duchess quietly excused herself, leaving her staff to pack up the remaining bottles. One attendee described the atmosphere as “chilly — like the party ended before it even began.”
The backlash comes just weeks after critics accused Meghan of trying to “rebrand herself” as a lifestyle entrepreneur, following the lukewarm reception of her previous ventures. Insiders say this latest incident could mark a serious setback for her efforts to win over the California elite.
Still, some of her supporters argue that the event was exaggerated. “People love to attack her no matter what she does,” one source close to the Sussex camp said. “She was simply trying to connect with the community. It’s unfair to twist that into some kind of humiliation.”
But not everyone agrees. Online, social media users were quick to pile on, with hashtags like #NotWelcomeMeg and #WineAndWhine trending within hours of the story breaking. One user commented, “She should’ve stuck to royal duties — not rosé.” Another wrote, “Even Santa Barbara’s too classy for that PR circus.”
Observers note that this latest debacle could further widen the gap between Meghan and locals who already view her as out of touch. Despite her multimillion-dollar mansion and claims of “wanting normalcy,” critics argue she’s become “a brand first, a neighbor second.”
As one insider put it bluntly:
“Santa Barbara’s a small community. People value authenticity here. The moment they sense fakery — you’re out.”
Whether Meghan will shrug off the embarrassment or attempt another charm offensive remains to be seen. But for now, the Halloween fallout has left her wine dreams with a distinctly bitter aftertaste — and locals raising more eyebrows than glasses.
