The Duchess of Sussex has been forced to distance herself from a controversial Finnish politician after he posted a selfie taken with her during a recent trip to Geneva. Meghan Markle was in Switzerland to deliver a speech on online safety for children and to visit a memorial dedicated to those who have died from digital harm.
Following her address at the Lost Screen Memorial, Meghan attended a dinner hosted by the World Health Organisation (WHO), where more than 25 ministers and delegates were present. Among them was Wille Rydman, Finland's minister for social affairs and health, who has been involved in several scandals, including allegedly joking about being a Nazi and being embroiled in a racism controversy.
Meghan smiled for a selfie with Mr Rydman, which he later posted on Instagram with the caption: “A dinner with Meghan”. The post prompted criticism from royal fans who were aware of his controversial past, leading a spokesperson for the Duchess to issue a statement clarifying that she does not know him and was unaware of his attendance.
The spokesperson told the Mirror: “To be absolutely clear, the Duchess does not know Mr Rydman, had no prior awareness of him attending the event, and was unfamiliar with the concerning reports relating to him.” They added that she had “politely” agreed to his request for a selfie as she was leaving the venue, and that vetting every person who asks for a photograph is not possible.
During her speech at the event, Meghan described children’s online safety as a “public health issue” and called on global leaders to take action against harmful algorithms and exploitative engagement. The event featured an installation of 50 illuminated lightboxes, each displaying the lockscreen of a child who died because of online violence.
