Meghan Markle’s supporters jumped to her defense Tuesday after a Politico article lumped the Duchess of Sussex with the likes of Donald Trump, Elon Musk and Kanye West.
Markle, who is married to Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has been the subject of criticism and praise this year, with some criticism coming before and after Markle’s documentary starring Prince Harry, called Meghan & Harry, released on Netflix. Politico published an opinion piece Monday titled 2022 Is the Year We’re Tired of All Narcissists, by contributing author Joanna Weiss.
The image linked to the article added Markle to a list of names that included Musk, Tesla CEO and new owner of Twitter; Sam Bankman-Fried, recently accused of fraud; Kanye West, a hip-hop artist who announced a 2024 presidential nomination and made anti-Semitic remarks on social media; Elizabeth Holmes, an entrepreneur convicted of fraud; and Donald Trump, former President and 2024 presidential candidate.
“They all used attention as currency and ego as fuel, and for a time were rewarded with what they craved,” Weiss wrote. “We are attracted to people who love themselves.”
Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex arrive at the 2022 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Award Gala at the Hilton Midtown on December 6, 2022 in New York. Markle was recently labeled a narcissist in a Politico article. GETTY
It wasn’t long before Markle’s followers jumped to her defense after seeing the article. Many criticized the article as marking Markle’s unfair target because of her race, calling the article “irresponsible.”
“Putting Meghan Markle in the same category of narcissist as Elon Musk and Donald Trump is an utterly irresponsible and truly white decision.” tweeted Rebecca Carroll, writer and cultural critic.
Listing Meghan Markle in the same category of narcissist as Elon Musk and Donald Trump is an utterly irresponsible and truly white decision.
— Rebecca Carroll (@rebel19) December 27, 2022
“Donald Trump = Secret materials stolen. Elizabeth Holmes = Convicted Fraudster. Sam Bankman-Fried = Billions stolen. Kanye West = Anti-Semite. Elon Musk = Fired staff and suspended journalists on a whim. Meghan Markle = Defended herself while black,” entrepreneur and engineer Christopher Bouzy tweeted.
In a later tweetBouzy described the hatred for Markle as “tangible”.
“A woman of color who protects her family and defends herself is not narcissistic; it’s survival,” he tweeted, before tagging Weiss and Politico and saying they both should apologize for the “garbage take.”
Placing Meghan Markle at the center of criminals and anti-Semites is no coincidence. The hatred of Meghan is palpable. A woman of color who protects her family and defends herself is not narcissistic; it is survival. @JoannaWeiss & @POLITICOMag should apologize for this garbage pickup. pic.twitter.com/YzQUD4YBnd
— Christopher Bouzy (@cbouzy) December 27, 2022
For years, the word “narcissist” was incorrectly used to describe someone who acts self-centeredly, but narcissism is a psychological diagnosis that affects 5 percent of people or fewer, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Markle’s supporters felt the diagnosis was an inaccurate description of the Duchess of Sussex and criticized Weiss for her choice of words.
“A black woman who stands up for herself does not equate to a narcissist,” author Kirsten Powers tweeted. “The unbridled hatred directed at her really proves what she means, doesn’t it?”
In her article, Weiss singled out Markle and Prince Harry at the beginning of the article and wrote negatively about the couple for several paragraphs before moving on to the other people she labeled narcissists. Weiss said her sympathy for the couple turned to irritation after watching Harry and Meghan on Netflix. She went on to write that the couple stands out among people who flaunt self-love and present themselves as “terrific narcissists.”
“They believe they are the absolute best at what they do,” she wrote. “They go to great lengths to protect and defend their egos. You strive to be unique and vigorously promote yourself. That, in a nutshell, is the story of Harry and Meghan.”
The piece caused an uproar after it was posted on Twitter.
“Seems like someone forgot we all have a little bit of narcissism in us BUT ALSO how many of us have done half as much philanthropy and volunteering? So embarrassing. She’s not one of them,” Today reporter Alex Portée tweeted.
Some Twitter users even shared the article with the hashtag #JoannaWeissIsARacist and superimposed the author’s face in the illustration over Markle’s, implying that she was a narcissist and not Markle.
Newsweek has reached out to Weiss for comment.