Oprah Winfrey's promotion of 'neighbor' Meghan Markle's $146 body care gift set gets Internet riled up

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Oprah Winfrey's close friendship with Meghan Markle continues to grow.

The media mogul showed her appreciation by featuring a gift from the Duchess of Sussex in her annual Christmas gift guide, a luxury $146 body care set from Tatcha's Hinoki range that Meghan had introduced to her.

Oprah Winfrey reveals Meghan Markle's gift in Christmas list

Oprah Winfrey noted that the Duchess of Sussex had introduced her to the product.

“This is a favorite Favorite Thing—with the scent of a forest sent to me by my neighbor Meghan,” Winfrey wrote in Opera Daily. 

The set, which costs $146, includes body milk, body wash, and body oil, all scented with Tatcha's Forest Awakening Essential Oil Blend.

The product claims to blend cedar, hiba, and hinoki oils, designed to help "reduce stress, lift mood, and improve well-being."

Oprah further shared, “If you were to come into my house, you’d see this body wash, body oil, and body milk right by the tub.”

Meghan Markle's connection to luxury brand Tatcha

Meghan Markle is close friends with Tatcha co-founder Vicky Tsai, a fellow Montecito resident.

Tsai, a Taiwanese-American entrepreneur, appeared in Netflix's documentary series 'Harry and Meghan' in 2022 where she recalled her emotional reaction to the couple's royal wedding.

“It felt like a moment where the world paused and celebrated love,” Tsai said, adding, “I remember watching him look at her and I almost started to cry," reported Daily Mail.

Tsai owns a $12.95 million second home in Montecito, California, where she lives with her husband Eric Bevan. She was labeled a "friend" in the documentary and has known Meghan for several years.

Tsai also mentioned her happiness when she first heard of the royal engagement, describing it as "a fairytale" when she saw the news, the publication reported. 

In 2019, Meghan gifted Winfrey $700 goodie bags that included Tatcha's $65 The Rice Polish. 

In 2021, Oprah thanked Meghan on Instagram for sending her samples from the latte brand the Duchess has invested in, affectionately referring to her as ‘my neighbour “M”.’

Internet slams gift guide for its overpriced products

Despite Oprah Winfrey and Meghan Markle's endorsement, the gift guide has received backlash online for promoting products that are out of reach for many.

“These prices are completely out of touch for the average woman in America and geared only toward the top 10%,” one person commented on the publication comment section. 

Others criticized the gift guide as a marketing opportunity for Oprah Winfrey.

“It’s also a big merching opportunity for Oprah, who probably demands a percentage of the sales if she promotes the product,” another user posted.

Criticism also extended to Meghan Markle’s involvement, with some users questioning her intentions.

“I thought Meghan wanted to do charitable work and help the less fortunate? I guess this now includes helping millionaires make more money,” one person remarked. Another wrote, “I think she realized philanthropy isn’t much of a revenue stream!”

Many questioned the authenticity of Oprah's 'Favorite Things' list, with one user saying, “I used to have a lot of respect for this favorite things list, but now I see it's just Oprah's friends getting their wares for sale... Suddenly this list means nothing to me.”

Others highlighted the contrast between luxury gifts and the everyday struggles of many Americans, with one writing, “At this point they're literally enjoying our suffering.”

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.