Meghan Markle reignited royal debate when she shared a carefully curated image on As Ever holding a cluster of red balloons in front of her. The post may have appeared playful on paper, but it quickly set tongues wagging as royal watchers questioned whether the Duchess was once again stepping into familiar territory, borrowing or arguably copying – from the well-established playbook of the Princess of Wales.

For the snap, Meghan, 44, reached back into her own archives, opting for a navy Roland Mouret linen dress dating to 2018. A piece closely associated with her royal years and one she famously wore to a glamorous London event alongside Prince Harry.

Opting for a look so synonymous with her royal past feels like an interesting brand choice as she carves out a new chapter – not least as she still signs off as the Duchess of Sussex, leaving some to wonder whether the enduring pull of royal symbolism remains a useful asset, if not a quiet way of cashing in on the monarchy.

During the photo opportunity, she finished the look with bold red Doen flats, subtly pulling focus toward the balloons and reinforcing an aesthetic that appeared thoughtfully orchestrated rather than off-the-cuff.

The conversation did not end there. Just days later, Meghan posted a Valentine’s Day image of Prince Harry with their youngest child, Princess Lilibet – a snapshot that, at face value, seemed undeniably sweet.

While anyone with a heart must admit it was an adorable snap, the timing and presentation led some to question whether there was a more calculated layer behind it.

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While Meghan’s first snap could perhaps be dismissed as coincidence, the second image posted just days later felt far harder to overlook – with some royal watchers viewing it less as chance and more as a deliberate copy of Princess Catherine’s well-established formula, adding fuel to claims that the Duchess’s latest stunt was carefully calculated rather than spontaneous.

That sentiment was echoed by fashion fan account @remisagoodboy, who goes under the pseudonym Remi, and revived a past look worn by Princess Catherine that appeared to date back to her uni days.

In a post on X, they wrote: “This post is out of my wheelhouse and I fully admit it… But I don’t get Ms Markle’s current obsession with red balloons.”

The post sparked a frenzy online. One user penned: “She [Meghan] gets creepier by the day.” A second added, “At this point Meghan is just bizarre.”

Others focused on the image itself, with questions raised about whether it contained a digital editing oversight. One person said, “Lilibet or H must be magicians..there isn’t a ribbon on one of the balloons and yet it didn’t fly away!” while another pointed out, “The balloon on the far left has no string.”

Still, not all reactions were critical. Supporters took to Instagram to praise Meghan’s look, with one user sharing: “This dress is soooooo beautiful. Love it, including de red balirinas.”

Beyond fashion, the appearance of Lilibet also raised eyebrows.

Meghan and Harry stepped away from royal life in the name of privacy – a principle that, at the time, was presented as non-negotiable.

For years their children were largely shielded from public view, save for carefully rationed glimpses.

Yet the sudden shift toward more personal imagery comes at a moment that feels anything but accidental, particularly following reports that With Love Meghan was not renewed and as their Netflix arrangements continue to evolve.

It inevitably raises the question of timing.

Are these snapshots simply heartfelt family moments, or part of a more calculated effort to remain firmly in the cultural conversation – a reminder that relevance in the modern media landscape rarely happens by chance?

In an era where every post is parsed and every caption dissected, such moments can easily read as a carefully choreographed media play – the kind of modern royal stunt that blurs the line between authenticity and strategy.

More broadly, it underscores a reality Meghan understands all too well: image is currency.

And when visual cues appear to echo styles long associated with Catherine, the comparisons feel less like coincidence and more like a conscious alignment with a narrative that already resonates with the public.