Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has made a brief appearance in an advertisement for instant coffee and tea brand Clever.
However, this cameo is unlikely to lead to a resurgence of her acting career.
The ad features Clever’s CEO, Hannah Mendoza, giving viewers a tour of the company’s headquarters, with Markle seen in the background.
During the tour, Mendoza acknowledges the hard work of the Clever team, while Markle is shown packing lattes with the fulfillment crew.
Mendoza jokes that the team has been listening to Britney Spears on loop since 2019.
As the tour continues, Markle is seen on a computer, and Mendoza introduces the digital team responsible for maintaining the website’s stability.
Markle makes several more appearances throughout the ad, including handing Mendoza a cup of coffee and attempting an awkward fist bump with a colleague.
The video concludes with Mendoza expressing gratitude to the operations team for their contribution to the company’s success in 2022.
However, not everyone was impressed with Markle’s cameo.
GB News hosts Emily Carver and Ben Leo took the opportunity to mock the Duchess.
GB News Royal Correspondent Cameron Walker commented that Markle was no longer a working royal and suggested that she was honing her acting skills in the ad.
Walker also noted that Markle has invested a significant amount of money in Clever and had previously appeared in a video for the brand.
Emily Carver shared her thoughts, stating that she expected Markle to focus on relaunching her online presence.
Carver expressed surprise at Markle’s decision to appear in the ad, suggesting that to be a successful influencer, one must show their genuine self and not just rely on performative acts.
Interestingly, the Clever ad was filmed in 2022 but was only released recently, possibly due to Princess Catherine’s appearance on BBC’s Secrets of the Aquarium.
Markle’s critics wasted no time in criticizing her cameo, describing it as desperate and cringey.
Some commenters even went as far as calling her the “biggest loser of 2023” and claimed that she had fallen from grace.
While Markle’s cameo in the Clever ad may not have been well-received by everyone, it is clear that she continues to explore opportunities beyond her previous role as a working member of the royal family.