Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's involvement with Netflix drew attention once again when Christopher Bowie, known for his role in the couple's Netflix show, targeted Katherine shortly after her cancer diagnosis made headlines.
This shocking incident unfolded on Twitter, where Bowie relentlessly trolled Katherine for 31 minutes following the release of a video. Megan's spokesperson dismissed Katherine's situation as staged, drawing comparisons to North Korean propaganda. Adding to the controversy, Bowie had previously spread conspiracy theories about the relationship between Prince William and Katherine, further fueling online speculation.
During an online meeting attended by 300 supporters of Harry and Meghan, Bowie's presence raised eyebrows. One participant even questioned the legitimacy of Katherine's cancer diagnosis, contributing to the spread of disinformation aimed at destabilizing the public perception of the Princess of Wales. Sources within the government expressed concerns that hostile foreign entities might be behind the dissemination of such wild conspiracy theories and rumors regarding Katherine's health.
Following the announcement of Katherine's cancer diagnosis, public figures like Rishi Sunak condemned the online harassment she faced. However, such interventions failed to quell the frenzy of commentary targeting Katherine. The disinformation chief noted that trolls had revictimized Katherine by criticizing her for not disclosing her diagnosis earlier. The emergence of evidence linking Bowie to a targeted online harassment campaign against Katherine further corroborated these concerns.
In a documentary, Bowie's involvement in online bullying was highlighted, underscoring his role in perpetuating misinformation. Meanwhile, Prince Harry publicly addressed the issue of online harassment, while Meghan expressed her anguish over being targeted online. Bowie's claims about hate accounts primarily being comprised of white women aged 35 to 50 from Middle America raised suspicions about the source of such information, hinting at potential purchases of demographic data.
The demographics of social media users involved in hate campaigns against Meghan suggested the possibility of social listening tools being utilized to gather data. Despite the knowledge of where these attacks originate, direct action against them remains challenging due to concerns about implicating Prince Harry. However, tying such attacks to groups like the Sussex Squad represents a step towards addressing the issue.
Bowie's actions, including his boastful comparisons to Prince William and his derogatory remarks about Katherine's appearance, underscored the lengths to which some individuals would go to insert themselves into public narratives. The lack of substantive information about the royal family didn't deter trolls like Bowie, who seized upon any opportunity to propagate baseless claims.
If Bowie truly wishes to investigate falsehoods, he should start with scrutinizing the validity of claims made by the Sussexes, such as the publicized miscarriage and the burial of remains during lockdown. While Bowie may portray himself as a tech mogul, his actions mirror those of Prince Harry, who claims to be an environmentalist, and Meghan, who identifies as a humanitarian.
