Meghan Markle gave fans a personal peek into her family’s Fourth of July celebrations this week, posting a carousel of festive photos to Instagram — including a selfie with Prince Harry and a playful tribute to a longtime couple tradition.
But while the Duchess of Sussex meant to share a sentimental family moment, many followers were quickly distracted by a quirky detail in one of the pictures: the cupcakes.
In the caption, Meghan reflected on her second date with Harry, which took place on July 4th, 2016. “H brought me cupcakes to celebrate,” she wrote. “Now, all these years later, our two children are in on the tradition.” She added a cheerful note: “Happy Independence Day! May your day be as sweet as these cupcakes.”
Fans noticed something a little spooky about those sweet treats
The photo in question showed six homemade cupcakes on a white plate. Four of them were topped with white icing and decorated with two blueberries and a strawberry, placed to resemble faces. Others featured swirled red, white and blue frosting with what appeared to be chocolate peace signs on top.
The intention was clearly patriotic — but social media had other interpretations.
“The cupcakes with two blueberries and one strawberry look like creepy Halloween faces,” one Reddit user joked. “I thought they were snowmen for a second!” another commented. A third chimed in, “I saw geese.”
Whether ghosts, birds, or simply well-meaning treats from a festive kitchen, the cupcakes added an unexpectedly viral twist to an otherwise wholesome post.
Meghan, now 43, appeared unbothered by the chatter, sharing a smiling selfie with Harry and a few scenic shots of their day, complete with red-white-and-blue themed desserts. As one user commented, “At least we know they’re celebrating the day with humor and cupcakes.”
She continues to embrace social media — on her own terms
The Instagram post comes just weeks after Meghan sparked mixed reactions with a behind-the-scenes video of herself and Harry dancing in a delivery room — part of a lighthearted ‘labour dance’ they did before the birth of their daughter Lilibet, who turned four on June 4.
Meghan and Harry celebrate the 4th of July
byu/your_paroxysms inpopculturechat
“Both of our children were a week past their due dates,” she captioned the post, “so when spicy food, walking, and acupuncture didn’t work — there was only one thing left to do!”
Some fans applauded her willingness to be candid and playful, while others criticized the clip as “cringe.” In a podcast interview following the release, Meghan responded to the online noise with calm confidence. “I’m grateful to be back on social,” she said. “And I’ll keep sharing — on my own terms.”
If her latest holiday post is anything to go by, she’s keeping that promise — blueberry-eyed cupcakes and all.