Ever wondered how royals preach one thing and post another? 😏 Prince Harry slams social media for dragging kids into “dark places”… then Meghan floods Instagram with a swoon-worthy World Series “date night” reel—hot dogs, cheers, and all. The irony’s thicker than stadium fog.

What’s the real story behind the boos and backlash? Tap to spill the tea. 👉

Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has built much of his post-royal advocacy around the perils of social media, from its role in fueling misinformation to its threat to children’s mental health. Yet, in a twist that’s drawn sharp criticism online, his wife Meghan Markle shared an effusive Instagram video of their “date night” at the World Series just hours after Harry voiced those very concerns on a high-profile podcast. The juxtaposition has ignited accusations of hypocrisy, with royal watchers and fans alike questioning whether the couple’s public image aligns with their private pleas for digital restraint.

The episode unfolded over a whirlwind 24 hours. On Tuesday, October 28, Harry appeared on comedian Hasan Minhaj’s “Hasan Minhaj Doesn’t Know” podcast, where he delved into the darker underbelly of online platforms. “Social media is taking young men and young boys into very dark places, which should concern all of us,” Harry said, his tone grave as he urged parents to think twice before posting photos of their kids. He lamented the “lawlessness” in the industry, calling on governments to step up protections for users, especially the vulnerable. It was a familiar refrain for the prince, who, alongside Meghan, has long championed mental health initiatives through their Archewell Foundation, often citing their own experiences with online harassment as motivation.

Harry’s comments echoed a broader narrative the couple has pushed since stepping back from royal duties in 2020. In interviews and speeches, they’ve decried the “toxic” nature of social media, with Meghan once revealing in a 2023 podcast how she limits her children’s exposure to devices. At a recent World Mental Health Day event, Meghan spoke candidly about parenting in the digital age: “Luckily, they’re still too young for social media, but we know that day is coming. Like so many parents, we think constantly about how to embrace technology’s benefits while safeguarding against its dangers.” The Sussexes have even blurred their son Archie’s face in public photos and kept daughter Lilibet’s images minimal, a deliberate choice amid their high-profile status.

But the very next evening, as the Los Angeles Dodgers faced off against the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 4 of the 2025 World Series at Dodger Stadium, Meghan flipped the script. She posted a montage to her Instagram Stories—viewed by her 1.5 million followers—capturing the couple’s front-row romance. The clip showed them munching on hot dogs, admiring a trophy display, and Harry belting out an enthusiastic “Let’s go!” while grinning at the camera. Meghan, in a chic white blouse and Dodgers cap, captioned it simply: ‘”Date night” with a dark red love heart emoji. It was a glossy, feel-good peek into their life, complete with behind-the-scenes charm that screamed curated content.

It comes after the Duke of Sussex appeared on the Hasan Minhaj’s show, where he has railed against social media companies, claiming they ‘farm our children’s mindset and market it for themselves’.

‘I think we should snap out of it and just acknowledge the reality of the fact that there’s some really evil wicked people at the heart of this, who want to farm our children’s mindset and market it for themselves,’ he told Minhaj.

‘There is no free will on social media as it stands.’

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Despite Prince Harry sharing his concerns, saying: ‘Social media is taking young men and young boys into very dark places, which should concern all of us,’ his wife took to social media platform Instagram posting a story of the pair together at a Dodger’s game

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In her story, the Duchess of Sussex poses with Prince Harry at field side, followed by Prince Harry filming her looking at the different trophies, eating a hot dog, and at field side

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Meghan Markle also filmed Prince Harry joyfully saying, ‘let’s go,’ while he looked at the camera at a World Series game

The timing couldn’t have been more stark. Harry’s podcast dropped mid-afternoon, and Meghan’s post went live late that night, as the Dodgers fell 6-2, evening the series at 2-2. Social media erupted almost immediately, with users on X (formerly Twitter) labeling it “hypocrisy at its finest.” One viral post read: “Harry warns about social media dragging kids into dark places, then Meghan posts a full reel of their date night? Make it make sense.” Another quipped, “Privacy advocates or content creators? Pick a lane, Sussexes.” The backlash gained steam when footage surfaced of the couple being booed by sections of the crowd upon appearing on the jumbotron, a moment that some attributed to their perceived spotlight-stealing.

Adding fuel to the fire was their seating arrangement: front-row prime real estate directly in front of Dodgers legends like Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax and team co-owner Magic Johnson. Fans were incensed, with one X user posting, “Prince Harry and his wife sitting IN FRONT of Sandy Koufax? This is an outrage—local heroes get second billing to royals?” MLB’s official accounts amplified the moment by sharing a clip of the couple’s escorted entrance, waving to fans, which only heightened perceptions of a staged spectacle. “It’s like they’re forcing the royal treatment on us,” griped another commenter, tying it back to the Sussexes’ history of media savvy.

This isn’t the first time the couple’s actions have sparked such debates. Since relocating to Montecito, California, Harry and Meghan have navigated a fine line between privacy and publicity. Their 2021 Oprah interview drew 17 million viewers, exposing royal family rifts, while their Netflix docuseries “Harry & Meghan” raked in streams by peeling back the curtain on their lives—albeit selectively. Critics argue it’s a profitable paradox: railing against invasive media while monetizing personal stories. Archewell’s 2023 financials showed $11 million in revenue, much from media deals, even as they sued tabloids for privacy breaches in the UK.

Defenders, however, see nuance. A source close to the couple told People magazine that the World Series post was a lighthearted family moment, not a contradiction. “Harry’s warnings are about unchecked harms, not banning joy from social media altogether,” the insider said. “They use platforms strategically to connect and promote causes.” Meghan’s Instagram, after all, is a branded space for her lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard, launched earlier this year with jams and cookbooks that nod to her pre-royal acting days on “Suits.” The “date night” reel, they argue, humanizes them amid ongoing scrutiny.

Yet the optics remain thorny. Harry’s podcast appearance wasn’t isolated; it tied into his work with the Parents’ Universal Communication Group, which sued Meta in 2023 over child safety on Instagram and Facebook. There, he testified about the “existential crisis” of online predators targeting minors. Meghan echoed this at a 2024 panel, sharing how trolls once hounded her pregnancy announcements. “We’ve seen the best and worst of it,” she said. But posting playful videos of their night out—sans kids, to be fair—invites the very engagement they decry, from likes to vitriol.

The boos at Dodger Stadium only amplified the irony. Circulating clips showed the couple, in matching blue caps and casual chic attire, exchanging glances as jeers rippled through the stands. Some attributed it to anti-royal sentiment in a city of Hollywood elites; others to the loss, with one fan tweeting, “Meghan jinxed the Dodgers—blame her for the 6-2.” Entertainment outlets like Entertainment Tonight captured their escorted arrival, surrounded by security—a far cry from the low-key evening implied. Celebrities like James Marsden and Tobey Maguire were also in attendance, but it was the Sussexes who dominated the broadcast, shown courtside multiple times.

Social media’s reaction was swift and polarized. On X, #SussexHypocrisy trended briefly, with posts like: “Harry: ‘Dark places online.’ Meghan: Posts HD date night vid. The grift never stops.” Pro-Sussex voices countered: “They’re allowed to have fun without it being a scandal. The real toxicity is the hate in these comments.” Royal commentator Daniela Elser weighed in for News.com.au, calling it “tone-deaf” amid Harry’s advocacy: “It’s like lecturing on fire safety while striking matches for Instagram.”

This incident lands against a backdrop of evolving Sussex scrutiny. Just days prior, Meghan shared a pumpkin patch video with Archie, 6, and Lilibet, 4—faces blurred, but locations tagged—captioned “Happy Sunday 🎃🧡.” It drew praise for wholesome vibes but also eye-rolls for the polish. Their New York trip last month, documented with Ed Sheeran selfies and gala glamour, similarly blurred advocacy and aesthetics. Harry’s recent “Spare” memoir sequel rumors and Meghan’s Netflix cooking show have kept them in the content cycle, even as they sue over privacy.

Experts on digital ethics aren’t surprised. Dr. Jenny Radesky, a pediatrician and social media researcher at the University of Michigan, told CNN that such posts are “double-edged”: They foster connection but model the over-sharing Harry warns against. “Influencers like the Sussexes normalize constant posting, which can pressure families to do the same,” she said. A 2024 Pew Research study backs this, finding 81% of parents worry about kids’ online exposure, yet 70% post family photos anyway.

For the couple, the episode underscores their tightrope walk. Harry’s podcast pushed for regulatory reform, aligning with global efforts like the EU’s Digital Services Act. But Meghan’s reel, viewed millions of times before expiring from Stories, inadvertently spotlights the allure—the dopamine hit of shares—that keeps users hooked. As one X user put it: “They preach detox but deliver the drug.”

As the World Series heads to Game 5 in Toronto, the Dodgers’ faithful lick their wounds, blaming everything from the bullpen to British interlopers. For Harry and Meghan, it’s business as usual: advocacy by day, aesthetics by night. Whether this fuels more lawsuits, like their ongoing tabloid battles, or just more memes remains to be seen. But one thing’s clear—their message on social media’s dangers rings hollow when the platform’s their stage.

In a statement to Grok News, an Archewell spokesperson reiterated: “The Duke and Duchess use social media mindfully to amplify positive stories and causes, while prioritizing family privacy.” Harry’s next move? A rumored TED Talk on tech ethics. Meghan’s? Perhaps a Dodgers-themed jam jar.

For now, the hypocrisy charge sticks, a reminder that in the court of public opinion, even royals play by the algorithm’s rules.