It has been a striking week for two figures who often find themselves at the center of Western celebrity controversy.
Meghan Markle and Blake Lively — two public figures with more overlap than might first appear — seemed poised for very different headlines.
For Lively, the moment was expected to reinforce her place among Hollywood’s most visible names — if not purely as an actress, then certainly as a celebrity power player.
She had been expected to appear as one of Taylor Swift’s most prominent companions at what was being framed as the Wedding of the Century, a public sign that she remained firmly inside the inner circle of one of the world’s biggest stars.
Instead, Lively appeared to be on the outside, with TMZ reporting that she and husband Ryan Reynolds were spending time in upstate New York and later dining at a Mexican restaurant in Canada.
Meghan, meanwhile, may have anticipated a far bigger reaction to reports of her much-publicized return to London with the children for a meeting with the King.
The news, however, landed with little more than muted interest.
And when she did not appear for much of the week, the response was largely indifferent — with many in Britain seeming more relieved than disappointed.
What a week for two cultural pariahs of the West. Meghan Markle and Blake Lively – two celebrities with surprisingly much in common – were both expecting quite different outcomes
Meghan surely assumed she would set the world alight with her loudly announced return to London, with the children, to meet the King. The announcement was met with a collective shrug
Hapless Harry was left to twist in the wind alone.
First, the abasement of announcing he would be staying at Buckingham Palace, only for the King’s office to give a correction: Harry had dithered to the point that the offer was rescinded.
Again, Harry was left to find his own accommodations, bleating nonetheless that he needed royal security.
On Tuesday, the devastating blow: Harry’s lawsuit against Associated Newspapers, publisher of the Daily Mail, was thrown out in its entirety.
Harry, along with Elton John, Elizabeth Hurley and others, had alleged that Associated engaged in phone hacking and other unlawful means in reporting on him.
In his 436-page judgment, Mr Justice Matthew Nicklin ruled there was a lack of evidence to prove ‘the information complained of had been obtained unlawfully.’
Make no mistake: Harry, who has sold out all manner of his own family’s dirty laundry to the media, sought to destroy the Daily Mail.
Meghan stayed away for most of the week, reportedly at the couple’s other house in Portugal. Which begs the question: how can they all be safe in Portugal without royal protection but not in London?
It truly makes zero sense.
But that’s Brand Sussex: chaotic and illogical.
And so Harry was left alone to face the media on Tuesday as the judgment was handed down.
This court case reportedly cost over $67million, and Harry is on hook for his share of the Daily Mail’s legal costs.
In a 2024 interview with ITV’s Rebecca Barry, Harry said that he ‘won’t bring my wife back to this country’ over safety concerns.
Funny how things change.
Meghan’s last-minute appearance in the UK on Friday, with the children, for a meeting with King Charles and Queen Camilla, might lead one to cynically conclude they had an agenda.
And just as Meghan told her initial tale of woe to Oprah Winfrey, who pushed back on none of Meghan’s wild claims, Blake Lively used the New York Times to accuse Justin Baldoni not just of sexual harassment, but of organizing a targeted smear campaign against her.
The irony. The projection. If anyone seemed to be mounting an organized campaign to destroy a career and reputation, it was Blake.
That original NYT piece, now over two years old and since debunked – Blake’s lawsuit was settled out of court, Baldoni vindicated – remains up on their website.
And one of the reporters is Megan Twohey, who with journalist Jodi Kantor broke the Harvey Weinstein story.
The article quoted a statement from Lively in which she said, ‘I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted.’
The piece then noted that Lively ‘denied that she or any of her representatives planted or spread negative information about Mr Baldoni or [his production company] Wayfarer.’
Just as Harry sought to destroy the Daily Mail along with the other claimants, so did Lively seek to destroy Justin Baldoni.
For Blake, this week was meant to cement her status as an A-lister. She was to be Taylor Swift’s most glittering handmaiden at the ostensible Wedding of the Century. Instead, Blake was cast out
Just as Harry sought to destroy the Daily Mail along with the other claimants, so did Lively seek to destroy Justin Baldoni
How perfect that Baldoni chose this week, of all weeks, to finally break his silence. To pounce on the utter, deserved humiliation Lively and Reynolds suffer, Lively especially now seems completely unhireable.
Perhaps she can revive her one-time lifestyle brand, Preserve — which saw former employees tell the Daily Mail that the company was ‘disorganized and chaotic’. Hey — Meghan can relate.
These two professional victims are of the same blood.
In a five-minute video statement released on social media, Baldoni and his wife sat together and thanked everyone who had defended them. They expressed sadness and anger at claims that had been ‘disguised as a fight for women,’ and said that they were still healing.
‘There is so much more to say,’ Emily added.
Justin followed up, a promise as much as a threat: ‘And we will say it.’
Can’t wait.
