Meghan Markle, the former actress and self-proclaimed Duchess of Sussex, faced a challenging and humiliating reception at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas, on Monday.
Despite the hefty fee paid by attendees to hear her speak about her experiences as a mother and feminist, the audience responded with jeers and shouts of "get out of here," expressing their displeasure and disgust with her presence. Meghan, hoping to leverage the platform to promote herself and her controversial Netflix deal, found herself speechless and furious, hastily leaving the stage.
Invited to the festival as a co-founder of the AR Foundation and AR Productions, Meghan, also known as a feminist and advocate for human rights and gender equity, took the stage on its opening day. The festival, renowned for its celebration of the convergence of technology, film, television, and music, seemed an ideal opportunity for Meghan to share her insights and challenges as a mother of two children, Archie and Lilbit, and as a woman of color in the media and entertainment industry. However, upon her appearance, she was met with booing and hissing, with signs branding her as a liar and fake, and shirts declaring allegiance to "Team K" and calls for the salvation of the queen.
Some members of the audience went as far as hurling tomatoes and other objects, narrowly missing Meghan's head. Predominantly fans of the royal family and British culture, they were incensed by Meghan's past actions and statements, particularly following her explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey, where she levied accusations of racism, neglect, and abuse against the monarchy and the media. Despite her visible shock and hurt, Meghan attempted to proceed with her speech, focusing on her children and their role in shaping her passions and purpose. Yet, her efforts were met with more resistance and ridicule.
Attempting to display photos of her children taken at their home in Monteo, Meghan faced skepticism from the audience, who recognized them from social media and online forums as manipulated and fake. The audience, feeling deceived and manipulated, voiced their discontent, urging her to leave and return to Hollywood. Their chants for Kate Middleton, Queen Elizabeth II, and King Charles underscored their allegiance to the royal family, expressing disappointment and sadness for Harry, Meghan's husband, the former Prince of Wales, and encouraging him to distance himself from her and return to the UK.
