Meghan Markle's 'strategic' move just before Prince Harry's dramatic UK visit

It's not been the best week for Meghan Markle. Separated from husband Prince Harry while he travelled to the UK, she has been hit with two major blows, and it's led to questions about her future plans going forward.

Just recently, a YouGov poll revealed that Meghan's popularity in Britain has waned even further. Just 19 per cent of people said they had a positive view of the Duchess of Sussex - the lowest figure recorded by the pollsters for her, ever. Then on Tuesday, People reported that there are "currently no plans for a third season" of her Netflix lifestyle show, With Love, Meghan.

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Critics have long argued that the shine has come off the Sussexes in the eyes of the public. And now a royal commentator has suggested that Meghan has just made a 'strategic move' in a bid to win back her popularity.

For her first Instagram grid post of 2026, Meghan jumped on the bandwagon and took part in the 2016 nostalgia trend - something many influencers and celebrities have joined in on. She shared a black-and-white video of herself dancing with Harry, alongside a throwback-style photograph that appears to have been taken in Botswana - a place the couple have said is deeply meaningful to their relationship.

The caption read: "When 2026 feels just like 2016…. you had to be there." In Express writer Alicia Liberty's opinion, the wording was very deliberate and shows Meghan trying to reconnect with her former relevance.

"It deliberately anchored her current brand to a time when she enjoyed peak popularity, glowing coverage and complete control of the narrative," Liberty notes. "This wasn't about sentimentality or looking back fondly - it was a calculated throwback designed to spark engagement and pull focus back onto her."

It's being speculated that Meghan might return to the UK with Harry this summer, provided his security issues are resolved. It's thought her return - her first since 2022 - could coincide with an Invictus Games event marking the one year countdown to the games themselves in 2027.

Some experts predict she will stay far away given her much-publicised disdain for her time in the UK, but others think her return could be imminent - not least because it would give her brand a much-needed boost.

Daily Mail columnist Sarah Vine has argued that a UK return could lead to a massive pay day for Meghan by boosting her royal status and, as a result, As Ever. Vine claimed that "after nearly six years in America, the royal fairy dust is finally wearing off", and that Meghan "needs to re-up on that magic. She needs to remind the world of who her in-laws are, to stay relevant and, more importantly, to stay commercial".

However, PR to the stars Mayah Riaz, told the Mirror that coming back to the UK could actually lead to the opposite, and would be a "high-risk" move for the Duchess. "Her commercial power has always been strongest in the US, where the royal association already works as shorthand for global status. American audiences do not need to see her on British soil to be reminded she married into the Royal Family. That story is already baked into her brand," she said.

"A UK visit would not automatically equal positive brand lift. In fact, I believe it would be high risk, high noise. The UK media landscape is far less forgiving, and any return would be dissected frame by frame. For Meghan, a visit would likely reignite old narratives rather than create new ones. From a PR standpoint, that is rarely a smart trade."