**Meghan Markle Accused of ‘Staging’ Video Near Princess Diana’s Fatal Crash Site to Promote New Wine Release**
*Published Oct. 24, 2025, 7:30 p.m. ET*
Meghan Markle is facing criticism for allegedly “staging” a video near the site of Princess Diana’s fatal car crash to promote her latest As Ever wine release — a move sources described to RadarOnline.com as both “vile” and “desperate.”
The Duchess of Sussex, 44, quietly unveiled a new product from her lifestyle brand last week: a 2024 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. The announcement came just hours before she jetted off to Paris Fashion Week. However, a video circulating online showing Meghan near the Pont de l’Alma tunnel—the exact location where Diana died in 1997—overshadowed her visit and sparked a furious backlash. Critics accused her of using the moment for attention.
### Video Sparks Backlash Near Diana’s Crash Site
Industry sources revealed that the footage, which showed the duchess pausing to reflect with her feet up in the back of a car near the scene of Diana’s tragic accident, was part of “behind-the-scenes” material filmed during her Paris visit. Insiders claim this was intended to “stoke publicity” around the surprise wine launch by filming near the poignant location.
A Hollywood insider commented, “The timing felt far too deliberate to be a coincidence. Meghan’s team knew that filming anywhere near that spot would draw massive attention. Pairing it with a wine launch called ‘bright and balanced’ rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. Promoting a product is fine—but not against the backdrop of such a tragic location.”
### Markle’s Wine Launch Overshadowed
Markle’s new wine, sold under her As Ever brand, was quietly added to the company’s website with minimal fanfare. A single Instagram post read, *“We heard you missed us. We’re back… and we brought a friend.”* The photo showcased As Ever’s signature preserves alongside a bottle of the new Sauvignon Blanc chilling in an ice.
Priced at $30 per bottle and available in sets of three, six, or twelve, the release marks Markle’s third wine under her growing lifestyle label, which launched last spring. The duchess had previously expressed plans to expand the range to include sparkling wines and additional blends.
However, hopes for a soft launch were quickly derailed by the uproar surrounding her Paris appearance. Markle—dressed head-to-toe in Balenciaga—attended the fashion house’s Spring/Summer 2026 showcase before being photographed later that evening near the Alma underpass, where Diana’s Mercedes crashed.
### Sources Split on Markle’s Motives
A source close to the Sussexes defended the duchess, stating, “There was nothing calculated about it. It was a quiet, private moment that someone on her team happened to capture. Sadly, it’s been spun into something malicious. Meghan would never deliberately use Diana’s memory for attention—that idea is deeply unfair.”
Still, others within royal circles described the move as calculated. One royal insider explained, “The visuals were terrible. Meghan’s fully aware of the significance of that place and what it symbolizes. Filming there while rolling out a luxury brand inevitably looked orchestrated—even if that wasn’t her intention.”
Another source added, “Meghan is under real pressure to show that As Ever can succeed on its own merits, but moments like this do more harm than good. The new wine rollout—a product launch immediately followed by a dramatic Paris appearance—felt a little too perfectly timed to be coincidental.”
### PR Experts Call the Moment ‘Grotesque’
Public reaction has been swift and harsh, with some former royal staffers labeling the moment “grotesque.” A Hollywood PR strategist remarked, “Meghan’s trying to carve out a space alongside people like Gwyneth Paltrow and Victoria Beckham—polished, aspirational, and self-made. But missteps like this undermine that image. When the messaging feels contrived, it shifts the focus from her products to the drama, and that’s the last thing her brand needs.”
Friends of Markle say her visit to Paris was purely to support Balenciaga’s new creative director, Pierpaolo Piccioli, with whom she shares a long-standing friendship. Still, the fallout from the Paris trip shows no signs of fading.
One source concluded, “Everything Meghan does is watched and analyzed, but this time she gave her detractors exactly what they wanted. For someone usually so careful about her image, it was an uncharacteristic mistake.”
https://radaronline.com/p/meghan-markle-staged-diana-crash-video-for-wine-launch/