Duchess Meghan celebrated her 45th birthday by sharing a series of personal moments on social media—posts that quickly sparked mixed reactions online.

The Duchess of Sussex first shared two black-and-white photos of herself jumping into a pool surrounded by birthday balloons, captioning them simply: "Thanks for the birthday love!"

She later posted additional clips to her Instagram Stories, showing herself dancing barefoot in the kitchen of her Montecito, California, home. Meghan wore white pajama pants and an oversized T-shirt reading "It's giving Mrs." as she danced around the kitchen island with oversized balloons in the background.

Meghan Shares Intimate Birthday Moments

Prince Harry could also be heard in the background, seemingly filming the videos. As Meghan danced, he laughed and remarked, "Oh dear." Another clip showed the couple playfully trying to put party hats on their two dogs.

Meanwhile, Meghan's lifestyle brand, As Ever, shared a video featuring one of her favorite birthday treats: an ice cream sundae topped with raspberry spread, vanilla ice cream, shortbread, and crumble.

While the posts appeared to offer fans a lighthearted glimpse into her birthday celebrations, they also prompted criticism from some royal watchers and social media users.

Expert Says the Images Feel "Very Controlled"

Royal expert Phil Dampier told The Sun that Meghan's birthday posts appeared carefully orchestrated.

"They’re always a bit contrived, aren’t they?" he said, adding, "When you see these pictures of hers, they’re always very, very contrived. You’re always very controlled."

According to Dampier, it's difficult to tell exactly what message Meghan is trying to convey. For some critics, it's this combination of carefully curated content and intimate personal moments that doesn't always resonate.

New Poll Highlights Growing Skepticism in the U.K.

The debate comes as a recent YouGov poll paints a challenging picture for the Duchess's popularity in Britain. According to the survey, only 22 percent of Britons have a favorable opinion of Meghan, while 65 percent view her negatively.

The results suggest that, despite her relatively low public profile in the United Kingdom, public opinion has remained largely unchanged. With fewer than one in four respondents expressing a positive view, the poll has once again fueled discussion about Meghan's image.

Royal Reunion Fails to Shift Public Opinion

Phil Dampier also linked the birthday posts to the Duchess's standing with the British public.

"All this business about the security, I think, was a bit of a smoke screen," he said, referring to the ongoing debate surrounding Prince Harry's security arrangements during visits to the U.K.

During that trip, Harry and Meghan also met with King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Highgrove—the monarch's first reported reunion with his daughter-in-law and grandchildren since 2022. However, according to the latest poll, the meeting appears to have done little to improve Meghan's public standing.