Feb. 16, 2026

Meghan Markle Mocked Over ‘Dirty Tile’ Tea Video as Prince Harry Takes $50K Speech Gig

Show Notes
Transcript

Meghan Markle is facing online ridicule after posting a promotional clip for her As Ever tea that critics claim looked “unhygienic.” The Instagram Story showed hot water being poured into a pink heart-shaped mug, but viewers fixated on what appeared to be stained white tile beneath it. Social media users piled on, joking about “bathroom floors” and “bacteria adding flavor.”

Meanwhile, Prince Harry is set to deliver a paid speech at the International Association of Privacy Professionals Global Summit 2026, where he will discuss digital responsibility and cybersecurity. According to reports, he will receive $50,000 — far below the reported $1 million per speech he once sought after stepping back from royal duties. One insider said the Sussex brand “doesn’t carry the same weight anymore.”

Get episodes of Palace Intrigue by becommming a paid subscriber on Apple Podcasts. Click the button that says uninterrupted listening. Just $5 a month, and that includes many ofther shows on the Caloroga Shark network.

Royal Books:

William and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside Story

The Royal Insider: My Life with the Queen, the King and Princess Diana

WEBVTT

1
00:00:03.160 --> 00:00:13.839
Calorogus Shark Media. Hello and welcome through palace intrigue. I

2
00:00:13.880 --> 00:00:17.280
am your host, Mark Francis. Criticism is mounting after Megan

3
00:00:17.320 --> 00:00:20.800
Markle shared a promotional video for her as Ever Tea

4
00:00:20.920 --> 00:00:24.839
that some of youers claimed looked unhygienic. The clip, posted

5
00:00:24.839 --> 00:00:28.320
to the brand's Instagram stories, showed hot water being poured

6
00:00:28.359 --> 00:00:31.679
into a pink heart shaped mug containing a tea bag

7
00:00:31.920 --> 00:00:35.880
with an unopened tin of Hibiscus tea positioned nearby. However,

8
00:00:35.920 --> 00:00:38.479
social media users quickly focused not on the product, but

9
00:00:38.520 --> 00:00:41.280
on the surface beneath it, which appeared to be white

10
00:00:41.399 --> 00:00:44.719
tiled with visible marks in the grout. After the video

11
00:00:44.759 --> 00:00:48.560
circulated on x several users mocked the setting. One wrote,

12
00:00:48.719 --> 00:00:50.920
why not make a cup of as Ever tea right

13
00:00:50.960 --> 00:00:53.840
on the toilet floor? Another commented did she have to

14
00:00:53.880 --> 00:00:56.039
travel to the local McDonald's to be able to use

15
00:00:56.079 --> 00:00:58.679
their bathroom floor for this video? I didn't even care

16
00:00:58.719 --> 00:01:01.920
to know what stained the time grout. Others joked the

17
00:01:01.960 --> 00:01:06.280
bacteria ad flavor and boost immunity, and dirty stained floor

18
00:01:06.359 --> 00:01:09.640
tile always makes tea taste better. Harry is set to

19
00:01:09.680 --> 00:01:12.439
deliver a paid speech in March at the International Association

20
00:01:12.519 --> 00:01:16.560
of Privacy Professionals Global summ at twenty twenty six, where

21
00:01:16.599 --> 00:01:22.120
he will address digital responsibility, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity professionals.

22
00:01:22.599 --> 00:01:25.879
According to a source cited by Rob Shooter, Harry will

23
00:01:25.879 --> 00:01:28.719
receive fifty thousand dollars for the appearance. That's the figure,

24
00:01:28.799 --> 00:01:31.200
and it's a far cry from what he used to command.

25
00:01:31.840 --> 00:01:34.239
When Harry and Meganmako stepped back from royal duties in

26
00:01:34.280 --> 00:01:36.840
twenty twenty and moved to the US, he was reportedly

27
00:01:36.840 --> 00:01:40.599
seeking speaking fees as high as one million dollars per engagement.

28
00:01:41.200 --> 00:01:43.239
One inside has said of the current fee, this is

29
00:01:43.280 --> 00:01:46.359
a massive discount. The Sussex brand simply doesn't carry the

30
00:01:46.400 --> 00:01:50.079
same weight anymore. The speech has drawn criticism from some

31
00:01:50.280 --> 00:01:54.000
observers given Harry's long standing public complaints about privacy and

32
00:01:54.040 --> 00:01:57.760
media intrusion. One source commented, he talks about privacy by

33
00:01:57.840 --> 00:02:01.719
telling you everything. He also recently appeared in an Instagram

34
00:02:01.799 --> 00:02:06.000
video promoting Megan's as Ever Valentine's Day chocolate collection. The

35
00:02:06.040 --> 00:02:09.960
clip prompted online commentary, with one person joking from living

36
00:02:10.000 --> 00:02:13.000
as or royal princes to becoming an advertisement for candy bars.

37
00:02:13.879 --> 00:02:17.039
Harry and Meghan's latest documentary, Cookie Queens, may have generated

38
00:02:17.080 --> 00:02:19.680
warm applause at Sundance, but it now faces what the

39
00:02:19.680 --> 00:02:23.319
film's own director describes as a brutal marketplace. The project,

40
00:02:23.520 --> 00:02:27.039
which follows four girl scouts competing to become top cookie sellers,

41
00:02:27.319 --> 00:02:29.520
received a standing ovasion at its Park City premiere and

42
00:02:29.599 --> 00:02:33.039
drew positive early reviews. However, there has been no confirmation

43
00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:36.199
of a distribution deal, and the industry reports indicate that

44
00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:39.719
many documentaries at this year's festival are still seeking buyers.

45
00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:44.599
Director Elisa Namias acknowledged the challenged in an interview with

46
00:02:44.639 --> 00:02:48.599
the International Documentary Association, saying the market is really awful

47
00:02:48.680 --> 00:02:50.800
right now, and it's been hard for so many of us.

48
00:02:52.159 --> 00:02:53.840
It sounds like the Sussexes may be in need of

49
00:02:53.840 --> 00:02:57.479
money soon. Perhaps a book from Meghan could refill the coffers.

50
00:02:57.800 --> 00:03:01.439
Megan is reportedly considering it tell all memoir about her

51
00:03:01.560 --> 00:03:05.039
time within the royal family, but sources claim Prince Harry

52
00:03:05.120 --> 00:03:07.919
is strongly opposed to the ideas he focuses on repairing

53
00:03:08.080 --> 00:03:11.120
relationships with his relatives. A source close to the couple

54
00:03:11.159 --> 00:03:13.840
said Megan feels an intense pull to put her own

55
00:03:13.879 --> 00:03:17.039
account on record. In her view, there are entire chapters

56
00:03:17.080 --> 00:03:20.319
of her life, particularly during her time within the Royal Institution,

57
00:03:20.759 --> 00:03:24.080
that have either been misunderstood, distorted, or told solely through

58
00:03:24.120 --> 00:03:27.960
other people's perspectives. She believes a memoir would finally allow

59
00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:31.319
her to speak without filters and clarify the narrative in

60
00:03:31.400 --> 00:03:35.039
her own words. From a publishing standpoint, the appetite for

61
00:03:35.120 --> 00:03:38.240
a Megan memoir is enormous, and that only reinforces her

62
00:03:38.280 --> 00:03:40.919
sense that now is the moment. She doesn't see it

63
00:03:40.960 --> 00:03:43.280
as stirring the pot for the sake of drama. She

64
00:03:43.319 --> 00:03:47.639
sees it as reclaiming her story. However, Harry is reportedly

65
00:03:47.680 --> 00:03:51.080
pushing back. The Insider says Harry is pushing back with

66
00:03:51.159 --> 00:03:54.599
everything he has. He genuinely fears that another deeply personal,

67
00:03:54.719 --> 00:03:58.199
headline dominating book would undo what little progress has been

68
00:03:58.240 --> 00:04:01.159
made behind the scenes. In his mind, it wouldn't just

69
00:04:01.199 --> 00:04:04.319
reopen old wounds, it could permanently close the door on

70
00:04:04.639 --> 00:04:07.240
any hope or reconciliation with his family. That's why he's

71
00:04:07.439 --> 00:04:12.439
resisting so strongly. The financial incentives being discussed are enormous.

72
00:04:12.560 --> 00:04:14.960
We're talking about the kind of advance most authors can

73
00:04:15.000 --> 00:04:18.560
only dream of. Publishers are effectively signaling that they're willing

74
00:04:18.600 --> 00:04:21.879
to write a blank check if she delivers something candid

75
00:04:22.000 --> 00:04:26.079
and revelatory. The interest isn't in a lifestyle memoir or

76
00:04:26.079 --> 00:04:29.199
all light reflections. It's in a detailed account of her

77
00:04:29.240 --> 00:04:32.680
time inside the royal family and the conflicts that followed.

78
00:04:33.199 --> 00:04:38.079
Revisiting those relationships, naming tensions, unpacking private moments. That's what

79
00:04:38.120 --> 00:04:41.439
the market wants. Harry, meanwhile, is said to be thinking

80
00:04:41.480 --> 00:04:44.199
long term. He sees himself as trying to rebuild bridges

81
00:04:44.240 --> 00:04:47.480
within the royal family, however fragile they may be. In

82
00:04:47.519 --> 00:04:51.160
his view, reopening those chapters publicly would undermine his efforts

83
00:04:51.160 --> 00:04:55.079
at reconciliation and could make any future royal reunion impossible.

84
00:04:56.120 --> 00:04:59.439
Financial considerations are reportedly part of the discussion when Insider

85
00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:03.680
said their overhead is substantial and constant, between private security,

86
00:05:03.759 --> 00:05:07.360
maintaining their home, staffing, travel, and the broader infrastructure that

87
00:05:07.399 --> 00:05:11.279
comes with their profile, the monthly costs are considerable. From

88
00:05:11.360 --> 00:05:14.639
Megan's point of view, the memoir isn't just about self expression.

89
00:05:14.879 --> 00:05:17.920
It's also a rational financial calculation. When you have an

90
00:05:17.920 --> 00:05:20.480
opportunity to secure that kind of advance in one deal,

91
00:05:20.480 --> 00:05:24.000
it's hard to ignore the inside explained. At this stage,

92
00:05:24.120 --> 00:05:27.120
nothing has been formally agreed, there's no contract signed and

93
00:05:27.160 --> 00:05:31.000
no manuscript under way. The only real obstacle is Harry.

94
00:05:31.160 --> 00:05:35.480
He remains unconvinced and deeply cautious about the fallout. More

95
00:05:35.519 --> 00:05:41.720
palacy just a moment. Hey, if you want to get

96
00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:44.560
rid of those pesky commercials, just look at that button

97
00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:48.000
up top there on the Apple Player that says listen uninterrupted.

98
00:05:48.600 --> 00:05:51.240
Click that and you can get all these shows commercial

99
00:05:51.279 --> 00:05:53.399
free just four ninety nine a month, and you can

100
00:05:53.439 --> 00:05:56.680
try it for free for a month. Plus you get

101
00:05:56.680 --> 00:06:00.000
access to thousands of other shows from Keller, Rogushark, Medium

102
00:06:00.199 --> 00:06:03.600
or commercial free. We really appreciate your support as well.

103
00:06:04.360 --> 00:06:06.560
One might think these royals would have some money to

104
00:06:06.600 --> 00:06:08.959
their name, and Megan might not be the only one

105
00:06:09.000 --> 00:06:12.040
writing a book. Sarah Ferguson is said to feel increasingly

106
00:06:12.079 --> 00:06:15.240
pressured amid the ongoing fallout from her past association with

107
00:06:15.319 --> 00:06:17.839
Jeffrey Epstein and inside it close to the former Duchess

108
00:06:17.879 --> 00:06:22.319
of yorkscept Sarah feels backed into a corner in her mind.

109
00:06:22.360 --> 00:06:24.920
She has reached a point where staying silent only deepens

110
00:06:24.920 --> 00:06:27.519
the damage to her name she believes that she may

111
00:06:27.519 --> 00:06:29.920
have no alternative but to go rogue from the Royals

112
00:06:29.920 --> 00:06:32.920
and lay bare Andrew Windsor's dirty secrets in order to

113
00:06:32.920 --> 00:06:36.079
protect herself. With hindsight, she questions whether she was given

114
00:06:36.120 --> 00:06:37.879
the full picture and whether she placed it too much

115
00:06:37.920 --> 00:06:40.800
faith in Andrew's reassurances. She believes she acted out of

116
00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:43.160
trust and loyalty to Andrew In terms of her friendship

117
00:06:43.160 --> 00:06:46.839
with Epstein. Now she feels she is bearing the consequences

118
00:06:46.879 --> 00:06:50.240
of choices that were not entirely hers. In her mind,

119
00:06:50.600 --> 00:06:53.680
she spent years shielding him from deeper fallout, and that

120
00:06:53.800 --> 00:06:58.399
protective stances severely damaged her own credibility In standing. There's

121
00:06:58.439 --> 00:07:01.399
a strong sense of resentment building. She feels she sacrificed

122
00:07:01.399 --> 00:07:04.279
her own reputation in an effort to preserve his, and

123
00:07:04.279 --> 00:07:06.199
that the personal cost of that decision has been far

124
00:07:06.240 --> 00:07:10.199
greater than she ever anticipated. An insider claimed the sums

125
00:07:10.240 --> 00:07:13.720
being floated are substantial, far beyond a routine publishing advance.

126
00:07:13.839 --> 00:07:17.800
We're talking about figures that would materially change her situation overnight.

127
00:07:18.240 --> 00:07:22.480
That level of interest inevitably sharpens the conversation. Sarah is

128
00:07:22.560 --> 00:07:26.079
under real financial pressure. The costs of security in maintaining

129
00:07:26.079 --> 00:07:29.360
a certain standard of living are ongoing, and revenue streams

130
00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:32.839
that once supported her, from book deals to charitable patronage,

131
00:07:33.040 --> 00:07:36.720
have either dried up or been severely diminished. The cumulative

132
00:07:36.800 --> 00:07:40.199
effect has left her stretched. From her standpoint, a book

133
00:07:40.240 --> 00:07:43.240
wouldn't simply be about profit, It's about stability. When you

134
00:07:43.279 --> 00:07:45.199
are confronted with that kind of offer in the context

135
00:07:45.199 --> 00:07:49.040
of mounting expenses and limited alternatives, it becomes difficult to

136
00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:52.759
justify turning it down. She feels she cannot realistically ignore

137
00:07:53.079 --> 00:07:55.879
what is on the table. This would not be framed

138
00:07:55.879 --> 00:07:58.040
as a sweeping attack on the monarchy or an attempt

139
00:07:58.079 --> 00:08:01.560
to dismantle the institution. Understands the consequences of that, and

140
00:08:01.600 --> 00:08:03.680
has no desire to ignite a broader war within the

141
00:08:03.759 --> 00:08:08.199
royal household. Sarah is still invested in maintaining workable relationships

142
00:08:08.240 --> 00:08:11.680
within the family, but particularly with quin Cambilla. Whatef the

143
00:08:11.759 --> 00:08:14.879
grievances she may hold, she is conscious that completely alienating

144
00:08:14.920 --> 00:08:17.399
the wide or royal circle would only deepen her isolation.

145
00:08:18.439 --> 00:08:21.040
We hear a palace intrigue encourage both Sarah and Meghan

146
00:08:21.160 --> 00:08:23.639
to write tell all books, just try to release them.

147
00:08:23.639 --> 00:08:26.079
At the same time and wait until after both Charles

148
00:08:26.079 --> 00:08:28.240
and William two of the United States. We have a

149
00:08:28.240 --> 00:08:31.120
lot of podcasts to make, so let's spread this stuff

150
00:08:31.120 --> 00:08:34.159
out there. You have it, I like to email us.

151
00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:36.960
Our address is the Palace Intrigue at gmail dot com.

152
00:08:37.159 --> 00:08:40.759
Please follow us to Spotify, Apple, check us out on Facebook, Instagram,

153
00:08:40.919 --> 00:08:43.080
and leave us a nice review. If you're joining the show,

154
00:08:43.120 --> 00:08:45.080
I'm Mark Francis My thanks to John McDermott. This is

155
00:08:45.159 --> 00:08:47.200
Palace Entrine, good Times,

Meghan Markle Mocked Over ‘Dirty Tile’ Tea Video as Prince Harry Takes $50K Speech Gig

Listen On

Recent Episodes