Royal drama has spilled onto social media in spectacular fashion as one of America’s most notorious celebrity tabloids faces a wave of public fury for its recent treatment of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. In just 48 hours, the outlet’s follower count reportedly plummeted by tens of thousands after it published what critics are calling a “blatant smear” against the Sussexes — then doubled down by blocking fans who defended the couple and shutting off its own comment sections.
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The backlash began earlier this week when the tabloid ran a headline many fans deemed “deliberately cruel,” accusing Harry and Meghan of “failing in Hollywood” and “losing their charm.” Within hours, the story went viral — not for its content, but for the outrage it sparked. Supporters flooded the publication’s social media posts with rebuttals and calls for accountability, only to find themselves blocked or muted by the outlet’s official accounts.
By Wednesday afternoon, the tabloid had gone a step further, disabling comments entirely on all Sussex-related content. The move, intended to “reduce toxicity,” was interpreted by fans as a desperate attempt to silence dissent. One furious follower wrote on X, “You smear them, you silence us, and you expect us to stay? Bye!” That sentiment spread like wildfire, with coordinated “unfollow” campaigns erupting across multiple platforms.
Screenshots circulating online show the tabloid’s Instagram losing followers by the minute, while hashtags like #UnfollowTheSmear and #StandWithHarryAndMeghan trended in the US, UK, and parts of Australia. Even non-royal-watchers jumped into the fray, calling the outlet’s handling of criticism “unprofessional” and “PR suicide.”
This is not the first time the Sussexes have been at the center of a media storm, but royal commentators note the scale of this backlash feels different. “What we’re seeing is a real shift — people are no longer passively accepting tabloid narratives,” one insider explained. “The power dynamic is changing, and it’s happening in real time.”
The tabloid in question has remained silent since the mass unfollow began, offering no public statement or clarification. But industry insiders suggest the damage may already be done, with advertisers closely watching the drop in engagement. In the cutthroat world of celebrity media, a single misstep can snowball into a brand crisis — and this one shows no signs of cooling down.