Meghan Markle’s choice to appear makeup-free on the cover of a major publication seems to have backfired online.
The 44-year-old Duchess of Sussex was revealed as the cover star of Harper’s Bazaar US December 2025/January 2026 Art Issue, published Thursday, November 20.
Viewers were quick to roast her natural look, with some criticizing her “lack of charisma” and others speculating, “someone in the magazine definitely hates her.”
Highlights
- Meghan Markle’s makeup-free Harper’s Bazaar cover sparked intense online debate, with critics calling the photos “unflattering.”
- Discussion also centered on the former actress’s use of her royal title and how the publication’s interviewer “not so subtly” called her out.
- Amid the wave of backlash, a few supporters stepped in to defend Meghan.
“That kind of photoshoot close-up in her face makes her even creepier than normal. She really thinks that she is THE IT GiRL, but she is just not…” wrote one user.
Meghan Markle graced the front cover of Harper’s Bazaar US’s latest issue in a makeup-free look
Image credits: meghan
Wearing a tailored black silk blazer with a cinched waist, flared hem, and a tied-up bow detail at the front, Meghan Markle posed seated on a stool against a grayscale background.
She looked directly into the camera with slightly parted lips, introduced by the cover title, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Meets Her Moment.
The cover story included an unfiltered interview with journalist Kaitlyn Greenidge, in which Meghan discussed various aspects of her life.
Image credits: Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty Images
Topics included her love story with Prince Harry, the rise of her lifestyle brand As Ever, her time in the royal household, and her eventual exit, among others.
While reflecting on how she has grown and evolved after facing several controversies since her engagement to Prince Harry in 2017, Meghan emphasized the importance of her “boundaries.”
The former American actress was introduced to interviewer Kaitlyn Greenidge as the “Duchess of Sussex,” rather than simply by her name
Image credits: harpersbazaarus
“I think my boundaries became stronger once I came into the public eye... You find different ways to protect yourself, whether that's self-preservation or it's just growing up.”
When asked what she’s learned from past missteps, Markle replied, "You learn not to do it again."
"If it all goes swimmingly, you don't learn from it. If you don't learn anything, you're not going to grow."
Image credits: meghan
However, social media erupted in a heated debate over the cover story, with critics mainly targeting the former Suits star.
Ripping apart her makeup-free look, one user wrote, “She looks HORRIBLE here. Her delusions of being a fashion icon and model and whatever else are just…DELUSIONAL. She looks even more basic.”
Meghan’s “boundaries became stronger” after being thrust into the spotlight, especially following her marriage to Prince Harry
Image credits: harpersbazaarus
Another user agreed with the sentiment, commenting, “how is she not embarrassed by herself, I have so much second-hand embarrassment… She looks so bad in these photos. I absolutely don't know how or why she approved these.”
Another third, pointing to Meghan’s parted lips and strained expressions on the cover, joked, “Looks like she is about to sneeze.”
Others discussed a specific sentence in the article that, to many, came across as “an eye roll.”
Image credits: meghan
Kaitlyn described her introduction to Markle at a friend’s house on the Upper East Side in New York City, writing, “When I enter, the house manager announces, 'Meghan, Duchess of Sussex,' even though we appear to be the only other two people in the house."
One disappointed fan of Meghan wrote, “I’m a huge Meghan defender, but this is a bizarre thing to do in the intimacy of your own home... I’m sure the journo is fully aware and doesn’t need reminding of her title. I’m glad they not so subtly called it out.”
“Someone at [Harper’s Bazaar] does not like Meghan Markle..” speculated one netizen
Image credits: harpersbazaarus
Markle and Prince Harry announced their decision to step down from royal duties in late 2020.
Shortly after, the couple relocated to California, citing the need for privacy to raise their infant son, Archie.
The two welcomed their daughter, Lilibet, in 2021 in California and have since maintained a strained relationship with the royal household.
Image credits: meghan
Some users highlighted this in response to the magazine’s interviewer noting Meghan’s use of her title during the introduction.
“I thought she didn’t want to be a Duchess!” one user remarked, while another added, “Really, Duchess? Thought she was done with the royals.”
Both Meghan and Prince Harry are non-working royals and therefore have retained their Dukedom
Image credits: meghan
While the couple no longer hold or use their His/Her Royal Highness titles, they remain members of the royal family as “non-working” royals.
Because of this, despite their departure from the United Kingdom, Prince Harry has kept his Dukedom, meaning Meghan continues to hold the title of Duchess of Sussex.
They are not the only non-working royals who still retain their titles; Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, and several others fall under the same category.
However, some supporters of the 44-year-old Duchess argued that she is “one of the most beautiful women alive” and insisted it was the publication’s fault for “doing her dirty” with the photos.
“They did her dirty… First time I’ve seen a bad picture of hers, yet here is an entire editorial of unflattering photos.”
“Agree to disagree - it’s disarming at first because we’re used to a perfectly curated cover. I like the simplicity,” wrote one supporter
