Fans have defended Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after sources close to Prince William and Kate Middleton nicknamed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex “the Kardashians”.
On Friday,The Times reported that “royal insiders” believe that Harry and Meghan “deliberately torpedoed” the Prince and Princess of Wales’ trip to the US by allowing Netflix to release the trailer for their documentary series, Harry and Meghan.
The teaser came out on Thursday, while William and Kate have been in Boston for the Earthshot Prize Ceremony, which gives $1m to projects aiming to solve climate problems by 2030.
A source also told The Times that Harry and Meghan had been nicknamed “the Kardashians” because “they want all the attention they can possibly get”.
“They are two people who are accepting awards for themselves, talking about themselves, doing programmes about themselves,” the source claimed.
Another source said that the timing or the trailer release was “definitely deliberate, without any question. But not at all unexpected”. In addition, a source told the Daily Mail that it was “hard not to make the comparison” to the Kardashians.
On Twitter, many fans have hit back at the remarks, claiming that the comparison between Meghan and Harry and the Kardashian family isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
“Whatever you think of the Kardashians, they are pop culture royalty,” one wrote. “Comparing Harry and Meghan to the Kardashian’s isn’t the diss they think it is because the Kardashians are still relevant.”
“Do William and Kate really think that telling a daily mail reporter (who they have travelling about Boston with them atm) that they call Harry and Meghan the ‘Kardashian’s’ makes H&M look like the villains?” another wrote.
A third said: “Considering three out of four of the Kardashians are multi millionaires delving into billionaire status & they are not funded by taxes or wealth obtained from colonialism. It’s more of a compliment than a jab. P.s the royals are the original reality celebs.”
Other people noted that the royal family have taken part in different documentaries and how that makes them similar to the reality television stars.
“People like to pretend the royal family has not been the royal Kardashians for decades before the Kardashians. Queen & Philip regularly did documentaries,” one Twitter user wrote. “Will & Kate did one for their anniversary. So why the outrage over Harry & Meghan who are no longer senior working royals?”
Speaking to DailyMail, another source said that one could assume that the publicity and interest surrounding Harry and Meghan’s documentary is “designed to clash with the Wales’ visit” to the US.
“The prince and princess’ high-profile trip to the States to shine a light on community projects in Boston and the environmental crisis is being apparently used as a platform for the Sussexes to create the drama and attention they so clearly crave on a personal level, as well as content for the multi-million dollar deal they have signed since quitting as working royals,” the source said.
The Telegraph also reported on a source, who said that there was “a contrast between the royals focusing attention on the communities of Boston and the Earthshot Prize, and others busy talking about themselves and making money”.
When the trailer first came out on Thursday, fans were divided over the timing of its release and claimed that it “intentionally” came out when William and Harry were in Boston. Fans also questioned how trailer came as the royal family has found itself embroiled in a racism row over comments made by longtime royal aide Lady Susan Hussey.
The teaser begins with an off-screen interviewer asking the Duke and Duchess of Sussex: “Why did you want to make this documentary?” In response, Harry says: “No one sees what’s happening behind closed doors,” before adding: “I had to do everything I could to protect my family.”
