On Saturday night, Meghan Markle made her debut at Paris Fashion Week to attend the glamorous Balenciaga show alongside guests like Vogue editor Anna Wintour and actress Anne Hathaway – but according to publicity experts, her execution was ‘tone deaf.’
Meghan was seen at the Spring 2026 ready-to-wear draped in a stylish white oversized cape over a white button-down shirt and matching trousers, all designed by Balenciaga, of course.
She paired it with black pointed-toe heels and simple accessories, giving off a vibe of effortless elegance, topped off with a sleek, slicked-back bun.
It marks both her first appearance at Paris Fashion and her first trip to Europe since the 2023 Invictus Games, which took place in Düsseldorf, Germany.
The Duchess was also snapped leaving her hotel to go the show, with crowds gathering outside in a bid to catch a glimpse of the royal.
Once at the show, she schmoozed with Australian film director Baz Luhrmann and sat in the front row, even sharing an ‘awkward’ moment with Balenciaga’s creative director Pier Paolo Piccioli.
However, according to multiple PR experts, Meghan’s appearance this weekend wasn’t one that was perfectly executed – in fact, it seemed far from it.
‘Paris Fashion Week was Megan’s deliberate re-entry into the cultural elite,’ Sarah Schmidt, President of Interdependence Public Relations, told Daily Mail exclusively.
On Saturday night, Meghan Markle made her debut at Paris Fashion Week to attend the glamorous Balenciaga show alongside guests like Vogue editor Anna Wintour and actress Anne Hathaway – but according to publicity experts, her execution was ‘tone deaf’
Meghan was seen at the Spring 2026 ready-to-wear draped in a stylish white oversized cape over a white button-down shirt and matching trousers, all designed by Balenciaga, of course
She paired it with black pointed-toe heels and simple accessories, giving off a vibe of effortless elegance, topped off with a sleek, slicked-back bun
Schmidt shared that Meghan is ‘showing that she’s creating a brand and legacy on her own without the royal rule book.’
But the event she chose to attend may not have been the right choice, according to the expert.
‘This move signals ambition and independence, but the execution was tone deaf,’ Schmidt told Daily Mail.
‘Balenciaga’s shadow still lingers and aligning with this controversy undercuts her credibility,’ she continued.
The luxury brand came under fire in 2022 for its campaign, which featured children holding teddy bears that were outfitted in bondage-style leather outfits.
‘For a public figure who’s tied her brand to compassion and advocacy, association matters. It was the right stage, wrong storyline,’ Schmidt said.
‘The goal for her brand moving forward will be credibility and consistency, not contradiction.’
Meanwhile, UK-based publicity expert and coach Natalie Trice told Daily Mail that while it may have been a ‘good’ move ‘in theory’ for Meghan to attend Paris Fashion Week, there were still some missteps.
The luxury brand came under fire in 2022 for its campaign , which featured children holding teddy bears that were outfitted in bondage-style leather outfits
‘Paris Fashion Week was Megan’s deliberate re-entry into the cultural elite,’ Sarah Schmidt, President of Interdependence Public Relations, told Daily Mail exclusively
Meanwhile, U.K.-based publicity expert and coach Natalie Trice told Daily Mail that while it may have been a ‘good’ move ‘in theory’ for Meghan to attend Paris Fashion Week, there were still some missteps
‘Fashion Week isn’t fluff, it’s where deals are done, heads are turn, alliances are formed, and relevance is measured in who you’re seen with and what you’re wearing,’ Trice explained to Daily Mail.
‘This appearance said, ‘I’m still here, 100% relevant, and I move in the right circles.’ But as always with Meghan, the edges fray a little,’ she admitted.
In particular, it was her Instagram story from the back of the taxi that shifted the ‘focus’ of the weekend.
‘That limousine clip, filmed near the tunnel where Diana died, felt tone-deaf and I sighed when I saw it come up earlier today,’ Trice shared.
‘Whether intentional or not, it shifted the focus from fashion to feeling, and not in a way she could control,’ the expert continued.
‘She almost nailed it… but almost isn’t always enough in PR.’
The Duchess was branded ‘insensitive’ after sharing the clip on her Instagram page – with critics accusing her of being ‘thoughtless’ and ‘bewilderingly tasteless’.
The footage, which appears to be filmed from Meghan’s point of view, shows her putting her feet up inside the car as it passes bridges including the Pont Alexandre III and the Pont des Invalides.
Of course, this isn’t the first time that Meghan has attended fashion week – but it’s the first time she’s gone since marrying Prince Harry
The Duchess was branded ‘insensitive’ after sharing the clip on her Instagram page – with critics accusing her of being ‘thoughtless’ and ‘bewilderingly tasteless’
It was shared to her 4.2 million followers on Instagram overnight.
The next bridge along the Seine is the Pont d’Alma, next to the Pont d’Alma tunnel in which Diana, boyfriend Dodi Fayed and driver Henri Paul died in August 1997 – a tragedy that caused such trauma for her son Harry, Meghan’s husband.
Critics on social media have expressed their horror at the Diana associations.
‘Right now, neither Harry not Meghan can get the luxury of throwaway content,’ Trice revealed.
‘One wrong story, one out-of-context clip, and the narrative runs off without her,’ she said.
‘Paris was the right move, neutral ground, high impact, but the execution needed tightening and going off piste wasn’t going to win the acclaim I think she was going for,’ the expert shared.
‘With Meghan, it’s never the entrance, it’s the echoes afterwards you have to manage.’
Of course, this isn’t the first time that Meghan has attended fashion week – but it’s the first time she’s gone since marrying Prince Harry.
‘Right now, neither Harry not Meghan can get the luxury of throwaway content,’ Trice revealed
Other clips included Meghan getting her hair and makeup done, eating some French fries, and making her glamorous exit from the hotel.
She was previously a regular at New York and Toronto Fashion Weeks while working as an actress on US drama series, Suits.
Later, The Duchess also shared an Instagram reel that showed the highlights of her getting ready for the glamorous show.
She let fans into her time sightseeing around the city, enjoying an egg-white omlette from her hotel, and using language app Duolingo to learn the language, showing off an 100 day streak.
Other clips included Meghan getting her hair and makeup done, eating some French fries, and making her glamorous exit from the hotel.
In the caption of her reel, she thanked Balenciaga and creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli, who she considers to be a friend.
‘I’ve missed you France – thanks for the love,’ she shared.
