Commercial Ventures and Media Deals
Vine also noted striking parallels in their professional choices. Ferguson promoted lifestyle products and participated in a reality-style documentary about her struggles. Markle has pursued Netflix projects, launched her lifestyle brand As Ever, and invested in Clevr Blends. Both also turned to Oprah Winfrey — Ferguson with a series on OWN, and Markle with her explosive 2021 interview alongside Prince Harry.
Parallel Roles in the Royal Family
The similarities extend even further. Both women married the royal family’s second-born sons, not the heirs, and arrived as unconventional figures who initially energized the monarchy but soon found themselves at odds with its rigid traditions.
(L) Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after their wedding; (R) The wedding of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson at Westminster Abbey. Image Source: Getty Images | (L) Jane Barlow; (R) John Shelley Collection
“A Cautionary Tale”
While Vine acknowledged that Markle’s behavior has been “as unpleasant as the Duchess of Sussex has been towards the royal family,” she emphasized that Meghan is not yet in “the same league as the Duchess of York.” Still, she insisted the warning signs should not be ignored: “It’s a cautionary tale. Let’s hope they take heed.”
Broader Concerns About the Sussexes
The Yorks’ history is increasingly cited in debates about the Sussexes’ impact on the monarchy. Critics argue the Palace has been slow to draw firm boundaries, both with the Yorks and now with Harry and Meghan, whose departure from royal duties and continued media deals have stirred ongoing concern.
Lee Cohen, writing for GB News, offered an even sharper view: “If the Yorks are a liability due to their ineptitude, the Sussexes are a threat because of their intent. Their departure from royal duties might have been understandable had they done so quietly. Instead, they chose spectacle over discretion, grievance over gratitude.”
Cohen went further in his warning: “Any entertainment of Harry’s returning to public service in Britain should be immediately extinguished. He’s shown himself to be dangerous and untrustworthy.”
