Meghan Markle has been accused of changing her strategy amid her husband Prince Harry's decision to return to the UK.
The Duchess of Sussex is said to be abandoning her much-hyped initiative to help women back into the workplace, according to a new report.
The former Hollywood actress, 44, launched the campaign 40x40 on her 40th birthday in 2021, encouraging mentors to donate 40 minutes of their time to support women left jobless after the pandemic. Now, the scheme has allegedly quietly disappeared , prompting a sharp criticism.
"It was billed as a serious attempt to help women, but the truth is it was a gimmick," one royal aide told RadarOnline.
Those familiar with the dead project claim: "There was no clear structure for how the mentoring would actually work," a former staffer said.
"It was more about generating attention for Meghan than creating a sustainable program. Once the cameras were off, nothing happened."
A Hollywood insider added: "Meghan has moved firmly into self-interest. Her energy is on Netflix, production meetings, and lifestyle branding. Charity work is no longer her focus. She talks about helping others, but the reality is she's building her personal empire."
"Meghan is more concerned with securing celebrity profiles in Los Angeles. The British public can see the difference, which is why she will never occupy the same place in their hearts," according to the source.
"The idea behind 40x40 was to help women re-enter the workplace, but the only career that got a boost was Meghan's. She used the project to promote her image as a humanitarian, then quietly let it die. That makes it look cynical," said another palace figure.