Meghan Markle finds herself back in the spotlight, scrambling to salvage her public image after a scathing Vanity Fair profile left no room for sugar-coating.
The article portrayed Meghan as a "difficult duchess," a figure capable of shifting from warm and approachable to cold and distant in the blink of an eye. Naturally, Meghan wasn’t going to let the criticism go unanswered. Her response? Digging up a glowing quote from actress Sharon Stone... from 2020. Yes, 2020. If you’re wondering how a four-year-old compliment became the centerpiece of a PR strategy, you’re not alone. It seems the Sussexes have taken the concept of a "clapback" to new, albeit questionable, levels.
The Vanity Fair piece included some less-than-flattering claims from a media insider, who accused Meghan of being a strategic manipulator, willing to throw people under the bus once they’ve outlived their usefulness. However, Meghan’s response was as tactical as it was peculiar. In a move straight out of the PR archives, her team resurfaced an old comment from Sharon Stone, where the actress referred to Meghan as "a caring member of the community." Reportedly, this high praise stemmed from the simple act of Meghan waving at someone while riding a bike in Montecito. Let that sink in: a wave from a driveway somehow became the basis for a glowing endorsement.
Of course, we’re expected to believe that this one seemingly innocuous gesture wipes away the years of controversy—the bullying allegations, the tales of staff needing therapy after working with Meghan, and the reports of fractured relationships behind palace doors. The PR maneuver invites us to see her as a selfless figure, a hero of sorts, based on a fleeting interaction witnessed years ago. Sharon Stone, evidently moved by the gesture, described Meghan and Harry as “a giving, caring, participating part of our community.” Who knew that a casual wave could carry such profound weight in the world of public relations?
This isn’t the first time Meghan’s team has employed this strategy. Recently, other positive quotes from former associates were dredged up, painting her as “genuine” and “lovely.” However, just like Stone’s comment, these endorsements are anything but recent. They predate the Duchess’s more publicized disputes and the infamous bullying allegations that have dogged her reputation for years. If Meghan’s PR team is left rummaging through old soundbites to counter the onslaught of bad press, it suggests they’re running out of fresh defenses.
It’s hard not to imagine her entire PR team gathered in a room, frantically brainstorming for better solutions. The optics of relying on a four-year-old quote about waving at a car don’t exactly scream innovation or confidence. In fact, it seems like a desperate grasp at straws. And here’s the kicker: Sharon Stone herself may have no idea that her offhand compliment from 2020 is now being wielded as a shield in Meghan’s latest media skirmish. One can only picture Sharon, an accomplished actress with her own reputation to protect, rolling her eyes at the absurdity of it all. Being unwittingly dragged into Meghan Markle’s PR battles is likely not something she signed up for.
At the end of the day, this episode underscores a much larger issue. Meghan and Harry’s approach to public relations feels increasingly outdated and ineffective. If their best move in 2025 is reviving a years-old comment about waving at someone in a driveway, it’s clear that a major reset is overdue. Public figures, especially those as polarizing as the Sussexes, need a more robust playbook to navigate today’s media landscape. Waving at a car in Montecito might have been charming in 2020, but in 2025, it’s just not cutting it anymore.
